FREE VIBRATION ANALYSIS OF CROSS-PLY LAYERED COMPOSITE BEAMS WITH FINITE LENGTH ON ELASTIC FOUNDATION

Abstract

In this paper, free vibration analysis of cross-ply layered composite beams (LCB) with finite length and rectangular cross-section rested on an elastic foundation is investigated by finite element method. Based on the Timoshenko beam theory which includes the shear deformation and rotary inertia, the stiffness and mass matrices of a LCB are obtained using the energy method. Then, the natural frequencies are calculated by employing eigenvalue technique. The obtained results are verified against existing data in the literatures for a LCB with no foundation and uniform cross-section. Good agreements are observed between these cases. In the same way, the natural frequencies of a specific case, i.e. the stepped beam are calculated and finally, free vibrations of a symmetric and non-symmetric LCB are compared with each others.