Free vibration analysis of symmetric laminated composite plates by FSDT and radial basis functions

In this paper, we use the first-order shear deformation theory in the multiquadric radial basis function (MQRBF) procedure for predicting the free vibration behavior of moderately thick symmetrically laminated composite plates. The transverse deflection and two rotations of the laminate are independently approximated with the MQRBF approximation. The natural frequencies of vibration are computed for various laminated plates and compared with some available published results. Through numerical experiments, the capability and efficiency of the MQRBF method for eigenvalue problems are demonstrated, and the numerical accuracy and convergence are thoughtfully examined. (c) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.