Free-vibration analysis of composite beams with multiple delaminations

Abstract

A practical approach for the vibration analysis of composite beams with multiple delaminations using the finite element method is presented in this study. The present model includes bending-extension coupling and transverse shear deformation, and can be efficiently applied to the vibration analysis of composite beams with multiple delaminations under arbitrary boundary conditions. Emphasis is also given on the effect of the nonsymmetric laminate configuration caused by the delamination. The numerical results are in good agreement with published experimental measurements. A variety of examples, including beams with multiple delaminations, are presented. The numerical results show that the effect of delamination on the modal parameters depends on the mode number, size of the delaminations, the location of delaminations and the number of delaminations. © 1994.