Abstract:
In this work, the analytical investigation for pre-buckling vibration and buckling analyses of a composite skew plate subjected to parabolically and linearly varying in-plane edge load are presented. When the composite skew plate is subjected to parabolic (non-uniform) in-plane edge loading, the pre-buckling stresses within the composite skew plate are not known a priori. To estimate the pre-buckling stresses within the composite skew plate for which the in-plane elasticity problem is solved by minimizing the membrane strain energy using the Ritz method. It is observed that the rate of diffusion of applied parabolic in-plane edge load within the skew plate to a state of uniform in-plane stress is faster in the case of isotropic material than composite material. Using estimated pre-buckling stresses, the total energy functional is derived from the total strain energy, potential energy, and kinetic energy. The total energy functional is reduced into sets of an ordinary differential equation and algebraic equation, respectively for pre-buckling vibration and buckling problems using the Ritz method in conjunction with BCOPs. The associated linear eigenvalue problems are solved to compute the pre-buckling vibration frequency and buckling load of the stressed skew plate. The outcome of the study may provide crucial inputs in the design of skewed bridge decks, ship structures, and aircraft wing design.