Abstract :
This article presents a numerical analysis on the pressure–natural frequency characteristic of a pre-tensioned string-plate pressure sensor. The sensor is made of a thin circular plate and a pre-tensioned string attached at the center of the plate. When the plate is subjected to a pressure, the tensile force in the string changes. Thus, the stringʹs natural frequency varies with the pressure on the plate. The von Karman plate theory incorporating geometric nonlinearities is employed to study the interaction between deflection of the plate and tension of the string. Using numerical method based on series solution to analyze the nonlinear bending of the plate, a natural frequency–pressure characteristic to the sensor is formulated. Finally, the method is implemented to predict the characteristic that is useful for design of sensors.