On the fundamental frequency of rectangular simply-supported symmetric laminated plates
A new closed-form approximate solution for the fundamental frequency of symmetric rectangular laminates which are simply supported on all four edges is derived. The solution, obtained from eigensensitivity analysis, is expressed as a truncated Maclaurin series in the coupling stiffnesses D16 and D26. Results show that the predicted fundamental frequency is remarkably accurate. A comparison of the fundamental frequencies of four-ply symmetric angle-ply laminates calculated from the new formula with those determined from a Rayleigh-Ritz procedure yielded a maximum differential of 0.6 percent over a wide range of principal stiffness ratios, plate aspect ratios, and design angles.