Natural vibration analysis of symmetrical cross-ply laminated plates using a mixed variational formulation (Q1574207)

The author applies to composite structures a generalization of mixed variational formulation based upon Hamilton's principle. Namely, this generalized formulation is used to obtain the governing equations of laminated plates. A refined higher-order plate theory, which satisfies transverse stress free boundary conditions on the top and bottom surfaces of the plate, is established by suppressing the in-plane displacement degree of freedom. The author analyzes the free vibration problem for rectangular cross-ply plates under a variety of boundary conditions, and compares the results with the results in the existing literature.