Vibration analysis of rectangular Mindlin plates on elastic foundations and vertically in contact with stationary fluid by the Ritz method

In this study Free vibration analysis of vertical rectangular Mindlin plates resting on Pasternak elastic foundation and fully or partially in contact with fluid on their one side is investigated for different combinations of boundary conditions. The plate is assumed to be one of vertical rectangular walls of a container in contact with fluid. In order to analyze the interaction of the Mindlin plate with the elastic foundation and fluid system, three displacement components of the plate are expressed in the Ritz method by adopting a set of static Timoshenko beam functions satisfying geometric boundary conditions in a Cartesian co-ordinate system. The method of separation of variables and the method of Fourier series expansion is used to model fluid and to obtain the exact expression of the motion of fluid in the form of integral equations. The fluid domain is finite in depth and width but infinite in the length direction. To demonstrate the accuracy of the present solution, convergence study is first carried out and then a few comparison studies are carried out with the available data in the literature. Finally, natural frequencies of rectangular plates are presented in tabular and graphical forms for different fluid levels, foundation parameters, aspect ratios, thickness to width ratios and boundary conditions.