Vibration analysis of laminated beams using an iterative smeared laminate model

A smeared laminate model is presented for the dynamic analysis of laminated beams. An iterative process is used to refine successively the shape of the assumed displacement field in the beam, resulting in a self-consistent stress/strain distribution. The model includes the effects of transverse shear and rotatory inertia. The iterative model is used to predict the modal frequencies and damping of simply supported beams with integral viscoelastic layers. The solutions for a three layer beam are compared to a three layer approximate model. A nine layer solution is also presented, illustrating the applicability of the model to multi-layer configurations, situations that would normally require a more complex, discrete layer analysis.