An exact analytical solution for free in-plane vibration of sector plates with simply supported radial edges

In this paper, an exact analytical solution is proposed to investigate the free in-plane vibration of sector plates. The highly complex and coupled differential equations of in-plane vibration motion are decoupled by invoking Helmholtz decomposition. The method of separation of variables is used to solve the resulting uncoupled Helmholtz equations. Applying the boundary conditions at both radial edges, the compatible eigenvalue problems for sector plates are obtained. Then, applying the boundary conditions at inner and outer circumferential edges, the corresponding characteristic equations can be solved to obtain the natural frequencies and the associated mode shapes. The results from the proposed method agree very well with the results from the available literature and the FEM. Significant influence of the boundary conditions and the geometric parameters on the free in-plane vibration characteristics of sector plates is investigated and addressed. The superficial frequency veering “aberration” between neighboring modes is discussed and found in fact to be an eigenvalue crossing phenomenon. It is proved that for a sector plate, only with simply supported radial edges, there exists an exact analytical solution. The proposed exact analytical solution can provide not only the detailed characteristics of the free in-plane vibration of sector plates but also the benchmark for further study.