Free vibration analysis of a rectangular orthotropic plate with piezoelectric patches by using Ritz method

The free vibration analysis of an orthotropic composite plate(fiber reinforced) with surface bonded piezoelectric patches is presented. Ritz approach based on the principle of minimum potential energy is applied to obtain the frequency parameters of rectangular plate. Displacement fields of the plate are postulated by trigonometric series function. Convergence studies are performed to examine the stability of the proposed method, and comparisons of the solutions derived with those reported in the literature are provided to verify its accuracy. Finally, the effect of fiber orientation in the base structure, number and size of the piezoelectric patches on the frequency parameters is analyzed.