Modal characteristics of symmetrically laminated composite plates flexibly restrained at different locations

A method for determining modal characteristics (natural frequencies and mode shapes) of symmetrically laminated composite plates restrained by elastic supports at different locations in the interior and on the edges of the plates is presented. The classical lamination theory together with an appropriate set of characteristic functions are used in the Rayleigh–Ritz method to formulate the eigenvalue problem for determining the modal characteristics of the flexibly supported laminated composite plates. Sweep-sine vibration testing of several laminated composite plates flexibly restrained at different locations on the plates is performed to measure their natural frequencies. The close agreement between the experimental and theoretical natural frequencies of the plates has verified the accuracy of the proposed method. The effects of elastic restraint locations on the modal characteristics of flexibly supported laminated composite plates with different lamination arrangements and aspect ratios are studied using the present method. The usefulness of the results obtained for predicting sound radiation behavior of flexibly supported laminated composite plates is discussed.