Free vibration analysis of point-supported laminated composite doubly curved shells—A finite element approach

Abstract A finite element analysis for studying the free vibration behaviour of generalized doubly curved laminated composite shells is presented using eight-noded curved quadrilateral isoparametric finite elements. The formulation assumes first-order shear deformation theory for thin and shallow shells, and also considers the two principal radii of curvature and the radius of cross-curvature. Some of the results obtained are compared with those present in the existing literature. Several other numerical results are presented by varying fibre orientations, lamination schemes, support spacings, aspect ratio, lower height to higher height ratio (for conoids), the thickness to radius ratio and radii of curvature ratio (for elliptic and hyperbolic paraboloids), which are relevant to the doubly curved shells.