Free vibration of laminated composite conical shells with random material properties

In the present study, the sensitivity of randomness in material parameters on linear free vibration response of conical shells is presented. Higher order shear deformation theory is used to model system behavior and uncertain lamina material properties are modeled as basic random variables. A finite element method is successfully combined with first-order perturbation technique to obtain the response statistics of the structure. The solution methodology is validated with the results available in the literature and an independent Monte Carlo simulation. Typical numerical results for second-order statistics of linear free vibration response of simply supported laminated composite conical shells are obtained for different lamination schemes and thickness to radius ratios. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.