Free vibration analysis of Mindlin sector plates: numerical solutions by differential quadrature method

In this paper, the free vibration analysis of moderately thick sector plates based on Mindlin's first-order shear deformation theory is examined. The solutions to this problem are determined using the differential quadrature (DQ) method. For numerical evaluation, the DQ formulations for free vibration of the Mindlin sector plates in two-dimensional polar co-ordinate system are derived. To demonstrate the accuracy of the DQ method, convergence and comparison studies are carried out. In parametric study, the first eight frequency parameters are computed for sector plates with different boundary conditions, relative thickness ratios, and sector angles (30 degrees less than or equal to alpha less than or equal to 360 degrees). The effects of sector angle and relative thickness ratio on the frequency parameters are discussed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.