AN EXACT 3D SOLUTION FOR FREE VIBRATIONS OF MULTILAYERED CROSS-PLY COMPOSITE AND SANDWICH PLATES AND SHELLS

A 3D free vibration analysis of multilayered structures is proposed. An exact solution is developed for the differential equations of equilibrium written in general orthogonal curvilinear coordinates. The equations consider a geometry for shells without simplifications and allow the analysis of spherical shell panels, cylindrical shell panels, cylindrical closed shells and plates. The method is based on a layer-wise approach, the continuity of displacements and transverse shear/normal stresses is imposed at the interfaces between the layers of the structures. Results are given for multilayered composite and sandwich plates and shells. A free vibration analysis is proposed for a number of vibration modes, thickness ratios, imposed wave numbers, geometries and multilayer configurations embedding isotropic and orthotropic composite materials. These results can also be used as reference solutions for plate and shell 2D models developed for the analysis of multilayered structures.