Free Vibration Analysis of Rotating Laminated Composite Panels Using Finite Strip Method With Modified Shape Functions

Abstract

In this paper, free vibration analysis of rotating laminated composite panels is investigated. The formulation is based on the classical laminated plate theory (CLPT), and the method of analysis is the semi-analytical finite strip approach which has been developed on the basis of full energy method with modified shape functions. In the longitudinal direction, the combinations of trigonometric and polynomial functions are used for the out-of-plane displacements, and the trigonometric functions are utilized to estimate the in-plane displacements, to satisfy the kinematic conditions prescribed at the two ends of the strip. Also in the transverse direction, the Hermite cubic shape functions are used for the out-of-plane displacements and the first-order Lagrange shape functions are applied for the in-plane displacements. The panel is considered to be clamped at the rim of a central hub and is free along the other three edges. The effects of different parameters including length/width ratio, number of layers, fiber orientation angles, rotation speed on dimensionless natural frequencies are investigated and discussed in the paper. To check the validity, the results generated by the finite strip procedure are compared with the results of previous studies and finite element code, wherever possible.