Vibration of cross-ply laminated composite plates subjected to initial in-plane stresses

Natural frequencies, modal displacements and stresses of cross-ply laminated composite plates subjected to initial in-plane stresses are analyzed by taking into account the effects of higher-order deformations and rotatory inertia. By using the method of power series expansion of displacement components, a set of fundamental dynamic equations of a two-dimensional higher-order theory for rectangular laminates is derived through Hamilton's principle. Several sets of truncated approximate theories can be derived to solve the eigenvalue problems of a simply supported laminated plate. After examining the convergence properties of the lowest natural frequency, only the numerical results for M = 5, which are considered to be sufficient with respect to the accuracy of solutions, are presented. Numerical results are compared with those of the published existing three-dimensional theory and FEM solutions. The modal displacement and stress distributions in the thickness direction are plotted in figures. The buckling stresses can be obtained in terms of the natural frequencies of the laminates without initial in-plane stresses. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.