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THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA VOLUME 34, NUMBER 3 MARCH, 1962

Vibration of Circular Plates


Tm; WAtt
Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas
(Received July 24, 1961)
The vibration of circular plates with a large initial tension (or compression) is studied for the case of
(a) simply supported and (b) clamped edges. The basic equation used is that of the Poisson-Kirchhoff
theory. Numerical results are given.
1. INTRODUCTION
HE vibration of circular plates according to the
Poisson-Kirchhoff theory has been investigated
by several writers. The case of free edges was studied
by Kirchhoff) Lamb, 2 and Rayleigh, 3 and the case of
clamped edges by Rayleigh? Timoshenko 4 has used the
energy method for solving the case of the plate with
clamped edges.
The case of the circular plate with simply supported
edges has, however, apparently received scant mention
in the literature. The reason for this seems to be that
such edge conditions are practically difficult of realiza-
tion. It is well known, on the other hand, that the
theoretical "clamped edge" conditions are almost im-
possible to simulate in the laboratory. In general, plates
behave as if they had boundary conditions intermediate
between the theoretical "simple support" and "clamped
edge" conditions. For this reason alone, if for no other,
it is desirable to have the solution for the case of simply
supported circular plates.
It is often necessary, in applications, to take some
account of the effect of in-plane tensions or compressions
that may develop in the plate. A theoretically exact
treatment of this problem requires the solution of a
nonlinear problem and necessitates approximate or
numerical procedures.
The case of a circular plate taking into account the
effect of tensions in its middle plane has also been solved
by Timoshenko 4 by an energy procedure. Although this
procedure represents an attempt to approximate the
solution for large amplitude vibrations, the method of
solution essentially restricts it to relatively small
deflections.
If, however, it is assumed that a uniform radial
tension (or compression) is initially applied to the plate,
and that this tension is large enough so that its fluctua-
tions from its initial value during vibration are negligible,
then the problem is a linear one and may readily be
solved. Admittedly the solution is invalid for large
amplitudes of vibration.
In this paper theoretically exact solutions are given
for the case of a circular plate with a large initial tension
G. R. Kirchhoff, J. Math. (Crelle) 40, (1850).
2 H. Lamb, ?roc. Roy. Soc. (London) 98, 205 (1921).
8 Lord Rayleigh, Theory of Sound (Dover Publications, New
York, 1945), Vol. I, p. 359.
4 S. Timoshenko, Vibration Problems in Engineering, (D. Van
Nostrand[Company, Princeton, New Jersey, 1954), 3rd ed.
or compression of varying magnitude and (a) simply
supported at the circumference or (b) clamped at the
circumference.
Some numerical values of the roots of the frequency
equations are given in the tables.
2. NOTATION
a radius of circular plate (in.)
D - Eh/12 (1 -- v 2) flexural rigidity of plate
0b
E modulus of elasticity of plate material
(psi)
J,,, Y, I, K Bessel functions of order n
p natural frequency of plate (sec -)
R function of r
r,O cylindrical coordinates
T membrane tension (or compression)
(lb/in.)
lateral deflection of plate (in.)
function of 0
Poisson's ratio
mass per unit area of the plate (lb
sec in. -a)
4 nondimensional parameter
t time (sec)
V4 = (Vs)s= biharmonic operator ....
w
thickness of plate (in.)
3. EQUATION OF MOTION
If a large initial radial tension Tr is applied to a plate
without a hole, it is readily shown by elementary elas-
ticity theory that the tangential tension To= Tr= T.
The differential equation of motion of such a circular
plate may therefore be written in the form
T p O'w
W(w)--W(w)q .... 0, (1)
D D
in which w is the lateral deflection, T is the uniform
radial tension, D= Eha/12(1 - ) is the flexural rigidity
of the plate, and p the density per unit area of the plate.
Let
w=R(r)O(O) sinpt, (2)
275
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276 THEIN WAH
TABLE I. Simply supported plate.
rib=0 nb=l
n b= 2
1.50
1.00
0.50
0.25
-0.25
-0.50
- 1.00
2.31 3.71 8.55 3.71 4.71 17.47 5.07
5.46 6.18 33.75 6.93 7.51 52.05 8.30
8.61 9.09 78.28 10.17 10.57 107.54 11.60
2.30 3.40 7.81 3.70 4.47 16.55 5.07
5.46 6.01 32.79 6.93 7.37 51.07 8.30
8.61 8.97 77.27 10.17 10.47 106.52 11.60
2.28 3.07 6.99 3.69 4.22 15.57 5.06
5.46 5.83 31.80 6.92 7.22 49.94 8.30
8.61 8.85 76.24 10.17 10.37 105.50 11.60
2.26 2.68 6.05 3.68 3.96 14.55 5.06
3.45 5.64 30.78 6.92 7.07 48.92 8.30
8.61 8.73 75.21 10.17 10.27 104.49 11.60
2.24 2.46 5.52 3.67 3.81 13.98 5.06
5.45 5.55 30.25 6.92 7.00 48.41 8.30
8.61 8.67 74.69 10.17 10.22 103.94 11.60
2.22 2.22 4.94 3.67 3.67 13.47 5.06
5.45 5.45 29.72 6.92 6.92 47.89 8.30
8.61 8.61 74.15 10.17 10.17 103.43 11.60
2.20 1.94 4.27 3.66 3.51 12.86 5.06
5.45 5.35 29.17 6.92 6.84 47.36 8.30
8.61 8.55 73.62 10.17 10.12 102.90 11.60
2.16 1.60 3.46 3.65 3.35 12.23 5.06
5.45 5.25 28.62 6.91 6.76 46.78 8.30
8.61 8.49 73.09 10.17 10.07 102.37 11.60
2.05 0 0 3.64 3.01 10.95 5.06
5.45 5.05 27.49 6.91 6.60 45.60 8.30
8.61 8.36 72.00 10.17 9.96 101.30 11.60
Jn+l (o0 In+l (lg) lg2"lt-ot -
Roots of equation' . ---+/5 .... ; v=0.3; /52--M=4.24)
Jn (ot) In () 1-- v
5.84
8.79
11.95
5.66
8.67
11.87
5.46
8.55
11.78
5.26
8.43
11.69
5.16
8.36
11.64
5.06
8.30
11.60
4.96
8.24
11.56
4.85
8.17
11.51
29.55
72.97
138.62
28.62
71.97
137.67
27.62
70.96
136.65
26.64
69.93
135.60
26.12
69.39
135.02
25.60
68.89
134.56
25.07
68.36
134.16
24.53
67.83
133.52
4.63 23.4I
8.04 67.76
11.41 132.36
=nodal circles.
=nodal diameters.
where R is a function of r alone and O a function of
0 alone.
Substituting (2) into (1), one may write the resulting
equation in the form
where
(V'q-M/a ) (V'--'/a')RO = O,
],
M= 1 . 1
2'DE\ T ' /
.ai( ]
= 1+.. +1 .
2D!\ T , /
(3)
(4)
Equation (3) shows that the complete solution may be
obtained by adding together, with appropriate arbitrary
constants, the solutions of the two equations
(V2+a2/a2)RO=O,
(V2_i./a.)RO=O. (5)
* N. W. McLachlan, Bessel Functions .for Engineers, (Oxford
University Press, London, 1955), 2nd ed., p. 122.
On letting
O = COS (r0 -- 'y n) , (6)
Eqs. (5) yield two equations for the determination of R'
dr ' dr --n'R=O' r . ]
W'R l dR
-t- ..... R=0.
d?' r dr \a '
(7)
The solution of the first equation of (7) is
= :i d.(.r/a)+ (.r/a)
and that of the second equation of (7) is
R= B,J,, (r/ a) q- DK,, (r/ a) ,
in which J and Yn denote Bessel functions of order
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VIBRATION OF CIRCULAR PLATES 277
of the first and second kinds, respectively, IN and K,
are the modified Bessel functions of the first and second
kinds, and A, B, C, D are arbitrary constants. (The
notation used is that of reference 5.)
In the case of a solid plate, Y. and K. are inadmissible
because of the singularity at r=0 and the general solu-
tion of (7) may be represented in the form
R= A nJ, (aria)-+- B.I. (15r/a). (8)
The general solution of (1) may now be written as
w_-
X (cosn0+X sinn0) sinpt, (9)
where A., B,, X, are arbitrary constants and
Ta2[ _+_4p2oD ], W=-[(1 --1 T 2 /
TaX 4pD\ ],
/5--- , = Ta/D.
4. PARTICULAR CASES
4.1. Simply Supported Circular Plate
Substituting (9) into the boundary conditions
w--O,
at r = a,
Ow (10w 10w
-[-v +-- =0,
Or*' ; Or r 2 O0 /
TABLE II. Clamped plate.
(lO)
(11)
q0 s b a O
he=2
1.50
1.00
0.50
0.25
-0.25
-0.50
- 1.00
0 2.84 6.12
1 6.16 8.21
2 9.39 10.84
0 2.89 5.51
1 6.19 7.78
2 9.40 10.51
0 2.95 4.84
1 6.23 7.31
2 9.40 10.15
0 3.05 4.08
1 6.26 6.82
2 9.42 9.80
0 3.11 3.66
1 6.28 6.57
2 9.43 9.61
0 3.20 3.20
1 6.31 6.31
2 9.44 9.44
0 3.30 2.70
1 6.33 6.03
2 9.45 9.25
0 3.44 2.12
1 6.36 5.75
2 9.46 9.06
0 3.83 0
1 6.42 5.15
2 9.48 8.68
17.37 4.39 6.97 30.61
50.60 7.66 9.38 71.87
101.81 10.71 12.00 128.52
15.92 4.43 6.45 28.59
48.17 7.69 9.01 69.27
98.77 10.71 11.69 125.20
14.30 4.48 5.89 26.41
45.52 7.71 8.61 66.38
95.44 10.72 11.38 121.99
12.44 4.54 5.29 24.00
42.75 7.74 8.20 63.47
92.33 10.74 11.07 118.89
11.39 4.57 4.99 22.81
41.29 7.76 7.99 62.02
90.59 10.75 10.92 117.39
10.21 4.61 4.61 21.25
(10.21) (21.22)
39.77 7.77 7.77 60.37
(39.78)
89.09 10.76 10.76 115.78
(88.9)
8.91 4.64 4.23 19.61
38.19 7.79 7.55 58.81
87.45 10.77 10.60 114.16
7.28 4.69 3.83 17.94
36.55 7.81 7.33 57.21
85.76 10.78 10.43 112.48
0 4.84 2.96 14.31
33.03 7.85 6.85 53.79
82.28 10.79 10.09 108.82
Roots of equation: a +O =0; 02--a2=14.68
5.77
9.14
12.33
5.81
9.15
12.34
5.85
9.18
12.35
5.88
9.19
12.36
5.90
9.20
12.37
5.92
9.21
12.38
5.95
9.23
12.39
5.97
9.25
12.40
6.03
9.27
12.41
7.92
10.63
13.47
7.47
10.28
13.20
6.99
9.95
12.93
6.47
9.58
12.65
6.22
9.39
12.52
5.92
9.21
12.38
5.64
9.03
12.24
5.32
8.84
12.10
4.66
8.44
11.80
45.67
97.11
166.06
43.39
94.09
162.93
40.91
91.31
159.70
38.07
88.04
156.39
36.72
86.39
154.84
35.05
(34.84)
84.82
153.26
33.53
83.34
151.65
31.75
81.81
150.04
28.08
78.25
146.48
Note: Figures in parentheses are those given in reference 4.
s =nodal circles.
n ==nodal diameters.
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278 THEIN WAH
!
!
....
o. I.O I. .o . 8.o B. ff
/PLY UPPORTED PLA
= nodal /// = TIT'
T
Fro. 1.
one finds
.J.()+j.() =0,
{ [,(n- ) ( - ) - )+( - )+ ) }
XI,(B)-B (1-u)I,+(B)} = 0. (12)
The frequency equation is given by the condition that
the homogeneous system (12) yield nontrivial solutions
for A, and B,, and may be written
a +B . (13)
2.() () -
It is convenient to introduce the nondimensional
parameter
T/T*=,
where
T*=4.2D/a 2 when r=0.3. (14)
Then T=4.2D/a2, and from the third equation
of (10)
f--a=4.2 with r=0.3. (15)
The natural frequency of the plate may now be deter-
mined from Eqs. (13) and (15), for various values of the
parameter . Negative values of represent radial corn-
2O
off
FIG. 2.
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VIBRATION OF CIRCULAR PLATES 279
o5
Fro. 3.
pression and, in particular, the value of T corresponding
to =- 1 represents the buckling load of a radially
compressed plate.
From Eqs. (10) it is readily deduced that
p= (D/p) (at/a2). (16)
In the particular case of T=0, a=/ and (16) assumes
the form
p= (D/p)(a2/aS). (17)
Using the first equation of (12), Eq. (9) may be written
X (cosn0+Xn sinnO)(sinpt+C,, cospt), (18)
in which A , C, and X are to be determined from the
initial conditions. It is to be noted that except for n-0,
one obtains two sets of modal functions
[ (ar)J,(a)()]
-- - In COSrt0
J- In(t)
and a similar one with sinn0 in place of cosn0.
L
o
-0.5
-L
FIG.
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280 THEIN WAH
4.2. Clamped Plate
The boundary conditions for this case are
wO
at r=a. (19)
Ow/Or=O,
Substitution of (9) into (19) yields
A ,[-nJ, (a) -- J,+x (a)_-]+ ,[-nI, () q- I,+ ()-I = O.
(20)
From (20) one finds the frequency equation to be
q-g . --0. (21)
Introducing the parameter
T/ T*= k,
where T*=14.68D/a 2, one obtains from the third
equation of (10)
2--a= 14.68. (22)
The natural frequencies of the plate may now be deter-
mined from Eqs. (21) and (22) for various values of the
parameter , negative values of representing radial
compression. The value of T corresponding to q= -- 1 is
the buckling load of a radially compressed plate clamped
at the boundaries.
Equations (16), (17), and (18) apply to this case also
with the proviso that a and are determined from
Eqs. (21)and (22).
5. COMPARISON WITH MEMBRANES
It is readily shown that the natural frequencies of a
circular membrane stretched by a tension T are given by
p= (u/a)(T/p) ,, (23)
where the t are the roots of the equation
Jn (/g) =0. (24)
The roots of Eq. (24) have been fairly well tabulated,
and, in any event, can be determined with relative ease.
It is therefore pertinent to inquire under what circum-
stances the natural frequencies of a stretched plate may
be approximated by those of a geometrically similar
membrane.
Using the last of Eqs. (10), Eq. (16) may be written
or
(25)
Comparing (23) and (25), it is seen that the plate
frequency approaches that of the membrane as a-/
and if
(aD/ aST)<< I. (26)
Substituting u for a and using (14) and (22) the
inequality (26) may be written
/<<(8.4) for a simply supported plate,
<<(29.36) for a clamped plate.
(27)
20--
o
5o
-=/
FIO. 5.
CLAIdPED PLATE
nodal
nodal crcle$
T/r ~
:= 14. G9
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VIBRATION OF CIRCULAR PLATES 281
L
IO
.5
Fro. 6.
For given t and 4, the inequalities (27) may be used
to establish the accuracy of using the membrane fre-
quency as an approximation to the plate frequency. It
is noteworthy that while a given tension T may permit
such an approximation to one of the lower frequencies
it may completely fail to do so for the higher frequencies.
A larger value of the tensinn it rquired far
degree of approximation in the higher frequencies.
As an example, if it is required to determine the value
of the tension T that would permit the fundamental
frequency of a simply supported plate to be approxi-
mated, within about 5%, by that of the membrane,
one may use the first of (27) and set
u/(8.4)_< 0.05.
Letting tm = 2.405, this gives
4>275.4,
and since T= (4.2D/a2)k, the tension may be readily
calculated if the properties of the plate are known.
The above results actually answer the question
"When can the behavior of a plate be approximated by
that of a membrane?" In fact, when the inequalities
(27) are satisfied (within the desired limits) the modal
functions of the membrane may be used as approxima-
tions to those of the plate. However, these results are
not very useful in determining the frequencies of a plate
with rnnderaIely large val of , the values of re-
quired for the validity of the above results being, in
general, too high.
A more useful result for the determination of the
natural frequencies of a stretched plate emerges when
one compares Tables I and II with a table of uns (in
reference 4, for example). It is found that the values
of ans are very close to the corresponding values of t,,
even for relatively small values of the tension parameter
q and obviously approach the values of t,, asymptoti-
cally (see Figs. 1 through 6). Thus, a fairly good
approximation to the frequencies of a plate with q> 2
may be obtained by using the values of t,, in place of
the corresponding a,,, determining ns from Eqs. (15)
or (22) as the case may be, and then using the general
formula (16) for the plate frequency.
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