Structural Dynamics of Thin Plates for Aerospace structures: Analytical and Computational Perspectives

The safety, reliability, and optimal performance of aerospace components are strongly influenced by structural free-vibration characteristics. Plates, which are commonly used in components such as wings and fuselages, must avoid resonance with external excitations, which could lead to structural failure. By identifying natural frequencies and mode shapes, engineers can design lightweight yet robust structures, prevent fatigue, and enhance structural longevity. This analysis also helps mitigate noise through acoustic coupling, ensures dynamic stability, and prevents aeroelastic issues like flutter. In this study, the free vibrational behavior of thin plates was investigated using analytical techniques and computational simulations. Three commonly used structural configurations were analyzed: isotropic plates (Aluminum), composite laminates (graphene-reinforced polymer composite, GRPC) and sandwich panels (GRPC-Aluminum-GRPC). Classical plate theory (CPT) and classical laminate theory (CLT) were employed for analytical modeling of isotropic and composite laminates, respectively. The mode shapes and natural frequencies obtained numerically were validated using Abaqus FEA simulations. The results revealed that composite laminates and sandwich panel configurations exhibit higher natural frequencies compared to isotropic plates, with smaller differences in lower-order modes. These findings provide valuable insight into the dynamic performance of various plate configurations. Future work could expand the analysis to include complex boundary conditions and other structural configurations, further advancing the knowledge in this field.