Free vibration of bonded plates

This paper deals with free vibration analyses of adhesively bonded plates. The analyses articulate separate responses of the upper and lower adherends and the weighted adhesive layer. The eight-node isoparametric plate element based on a first order shear deformation theory is used to model the adherends, and a 16-node interface element consisting of an adhesive layer weighted by influence of the adherends is employed. Numerical examples are provided to show the vibration characteristic of a patched plate having a specific patch size and the influence on the natural frequencies and mode shapes of the five-layer cantilever bonded plate with a stepped type. Results also exhibit the effectiveness of the present model for vibration analyses of adhesively bonded plates. (C) 1997 Civil-Comp Ltd and Elsevier Science Ltd.