Vibration analysis of shear-deformable circular and elliptical laminated composite plates

This work presents an analytical approach and accurate numerical results for the free vibration of symmetrically laminated, thick composite circular and elliptical plates. The shear deformation through the thickness is considered by employing the first-order shear deformation theory. The problem is solved by the Ritz method and the natural frequencies are calculated for three-layered, simply supported and clamped plates with stacking sequence [theta/-theta/theta].Particularly, extensive results are presented by using various shear correction factors for a wide range of geometric parameters, and the effects of varying the factor upon the free vibration frequencies of the laminated circular and elliptical plates are discussed.