FREE-VIBRATIONS OF LAMINATED COMPOSITE NONCIRCULAR THICK CYLINDRICAL-SHELLS

An exact solution procedure is presented for analyzing free vibrations of laminated composite, noncircular thick cylindrical shells. Based o n the thick lamination theory considering the shear deformation and ro tary inertia, equations of motion and boundary conditions are obtained from the stationary conditions of the Lagrangian (Hamilton's principl e). The equations of motion are solved exactly by using power series e xpansions for the displacements and rotations of symmetrically laminat ed, cross-ply shells having both ends freely supported. Frequencies ar e presented for a set of elliptical cylindrical shells having various laminae stacking sequences. The effects of shear deformation and rotar y inertia are discussed by comparing the results from the present theo ry with those from the classical laminated shell theory (thin laminate d shell theory). Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd