A Continuum Solution to the Problems of Composite Laminate Analysis

In this paper, a method of solution and some numerical resu~s of free vibration and buckling of composite laminates are presented. All the edges of the laminates are assumed as simply supported. Ritz's method of solution is used with deflection surface expressed in terms of double series in Chebyshev polynomials satisfying the simply supported laminate boundary conditions. The numerical results obtained using the present analysis for isotropic as well as orthotropic plate cases, are compared with the available results. A detailed investigation on the natural frequencies and mode shapes of fourlayered, simply supported composite laminates made up of graphite FRP is then undertaken. Numerical results for the first few frequencies and the critiCal buckling values of symmetric and antisymmetric Ilm1inates so obtained, are presented here.