Natural frequencies of composite beams with a variable fiber volume fraction including rotary inertia and shear deformation (Q735292)

Composite materials due to the high strength and stiffness-to-weight ratio, the superior fatigue characteristics, and the ability to change fiber orientations to satisfy design requirements are often used in aerospace, automobile, nuclear, marine, biomedical and civil engineering. Hence, it is necessary to have a clear understanding of their structural characteristics. Here the authors present an exact solution for free vibrations for flexible symmetric composite beams with a variable fiber volume fraction through thickness, including first-order shear deformation and rotary inertia. The material properties of beams are graded continuously in the thickness direction according to the power law. For example, the authors establish that the first three mode shapes for simply supported and clamped beams really depend on volume fraction.