Abstract

This paper presents effects of curvature on free vibration characteristics of cross-ply laminated composite cylindrical shallow shells. Shallow shells have been considered for different lamination thickness, radius of curvature and elasticity ratio. First, kinematic relations of strains and deformation have been shown. Then, using Hamilton’s principle, governing differential equations have been obtained for a general curved shell. In the next step, stress-strain relation for laminated, cross-ply composite shells has been given. By using some simplifications and assuming Fourier series as a displacement field, differential equations are solved by matrix algebra for shallow shells. The results obtained by this solution have been given in tables and graphs. The comparisons made with the literature and finite element program (ANSYS).

Key words: Structural composites, free vibration, effects of curvature, shear deformation shell theory, classical shell theory, finite element method (FEM).