New Analytic Free Vibration Solutions of L-Shaped Moderately Thick Plates by Symplectic Superposition

L-shaped moderately thick plates have widespread applications in diverse engineering structures. Exploring the benchmark analytic solutions for the free vibration of L-shaped moderately thick plates is important in order to accurately analyze and efficiently design structures. Nevertheless, analytical solutions, which serve as the benchmarks, have been rarely documented in previous literature due to the challenge of finding suitable solutions that satisfy both the governing higher-order partial differential equations (PDEs) and the boundary conditions of the plates. The symplectic superposition method was employed in our recently published study to present the benchmark vibration solutions of clamped rectangular moderately thick plates. In this study, we expand upon this method to solve the free vibration problem of L-shaped moderately thick plates. By employing domain decomposition, we construct an irregular domain by combining multiple rectangular domains. First, the construction of the superposition system is carried out, followed by the import of the sub-problems into the Hamiltonian system, utilizing the fundamental governing equations of the plate. Then, the sub-problems are resolved through the application of the symplectic geometry methodology in an analytical manner. Ultimately, the analytical solutions for frequencies and mode shapes are derived through ensuring the equivalence between the initial problem and the combination of sub-problems. The finite element method is used to validate and present a comprehensive analysis of the natural frequencies and mode shapes obtained from this method. This method possesses the benefits of rapid convergence and accurate precision, rendering it well suited for the analytic modeling of a broader range of plate-related problems.