PLATE BENDING FREQUENCIES VIA THE FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

WITH RECTANGULAR ELEMENTS

Revision A

By Tom Irvine
Email: tomirvine@aol.com
May 6, 2011

Rectangular Plate in Bending

b
k

l
X

Figure 1.

Stiffness Matrix
Let u represent the out-of-plane displacement. The total strain energy of the plate is
2
2
2

2u
2u 2u
2u
D b a 2 u
2

2 1
dxdy
U

y 2
x 2 y 2
x y
2 0 0 x 2

(1)

Note that the plate stiffness factor D is given by

Eh 3

(2)

12 (1 2 )

where
E = elastic modulus
h = plate thickness
= Poisson's ratio

The plate has one translational and two rotational degrees-of-freedom at each corner, for a total of 12
degrees-of-freedom. The two rotational components are about the x and y-axes respectively.
Let the four corners be labeled k, l, m, and n, as shown in Figure 1.
The rotation components at the corner 1 are

xl

u l
x

(3)

yl

u l
y

(4)

The displacement equation has 12 constants to enforce 12 continuity conditions.

u ( x, y, t ) a1 a 2 x a 3 y a 4 x 2 a 5 xy a 6 y 2 a 7 x 3
a 8 x 2 y a 9 xy 2 a10 y 3 a11x 3 y a12 xy 3
(5)
The displacement equation can be written as

u(x, y, t ) {A}T Z

(6)

where
{A}T a1 a 2

a3

a4

a5

a6

a7

a8

a9

a10

a11 a12

(7)
2

{Z}T 1 x y x 2

xy

y2

x3

x 2 y xy 2

y3

x 3 y xy 3

(8)

The strain energy is thus

b a
D
AT 0 0 S(x, y) dxdy A
2

(9)

where
2

2u
2u
2u 2u
2u

S( x, y)

2
2 1
x 2
y 2
x 2 y 2
x y

(10)

Again,

u ( x, y, t ) a1 a 2 x a 3 y a 4 x 2 a 5 xy a 6 y 2 a 7 x 3
a 8 x 2 y a 9 xy 2 a10 y 3 a11x 3 y a12 xy 3

u ( x, y, t ) a 2 2a 4 x a 5 y 3a 7 x 2 2a 8 xy a 9 y 2 3a11x 2 y a12 y 3
x

u ( x, y, t ) a 3 a 5 x 2a 6 y a 8 x 2 2a 9 xy 3a10 y 2 a11x 3 3a12 xy 2

y

(11)

(12)

(13)

The displacement and derivatives at each corner are

u {0, 0, t} a1

(14)

u
{0, 0, t} a 2
x

(15)

u
{0, 0, t} a 3
y

(16)

u {a, 0, t} (a1 ) a (a 2 ) a 2 (a 4 ) a 3 (a 7 )

(17)

u
{a, 0, t} (a 2 ) 2a (a 4 ) 3a 2 (a 7 )
x

(18)

u
{a, 0, t} (a 3 ) a (a 5 ) a 2 (a 8 ) a 3 (a11)
y

(19)

u {a , b, t} a1 a 2 a a 3 b a 4 a 2 a 5 ab a 6 b 2 a 7 a 3
a 8 a 2 b a 9 ab 2 a10b 3 a11a 3 b a12ab 3
(20)

u
{a, b, t} (a 2 ) 2a (a 4 ) b(a 5 ) 3a 2 (a 7 ) 2ab(a 8 ) b 2 (a 9 ) 3a 2 b(a11) b 3 (a12 )
x
(21)

u
{a, b, t} (a 3 ) a (a 5 ) 2b(a 6 ) a 2 (a 8 ) 2ab(a 9 ) 3b 2 (a10 ) a 3 (a11) 3ab 2 (a12 )
y
(22)

u {0, b, t} (a1 ) (a 3 )b (a 6 )b 2 (a10 )b 3

(23)

u
{0, b, t} (a 2 ) (a 5 )b (a 9 )b 2 (a12 )b 3
x

(24)

u
{0, b, t} (a 3 ) 2b(a 6 ) 3b 2 (a10 )
y

(25)
4

The displacement vector for element i is

{u}i T u k

xk

yk

xl

ul

yl

um

xm

ym

un

xn

yn

(26)

The displacement vector can be written as

{u}i BA

(27)

where

1
0

1
0

0
[B]
1

0
0

0
0

0 0

1 0

0 1

a 0

a2

a3

3a 2

1 0

2a

0
0

0 1

a2

a b

a2

ab

b2

a3

a 2b

ab 2

b3

1 0

2a

3a 2

2ab

b2

0 1

2b

a2

2ab

3b 2

0 b

b2

b3

1 0

b2

0 1

2b

3b 2

0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0

a3
0
a 3 b ab 3

3a 2 b b 3
a 3 3ab 2

0
0

0
b3
0
0
0

(28)

Solve for A .

A B1 {u}i

(29)

[c] B1

(30)

A c{u}i

(31)

Let

The strain energy is thus

D T T b a
u c 0 0 S(x, y) dxdy c{u}i
2

(32)

The kinetic energy is

h b a 2
u dxdy
2 0 0

(33)

Recall the displacement equation

u(x, y, t ) {A}T Z

(34)

The velocity is

}T Z
u {A

(35)

}T ZZT {A
}
[u ]2 {A

(36)

Recall

A c{u}i

(37)

[u ]2 {u }i T cT ZZT c{u }i

(38)

Let

P (x, y) ZZT
[u ]2 {u }i T cT P (x, y) c{u }i

(39)
(40)

The kinetic energy is thus

b a
h
{u }i T cT P ( x, y) dxdy c{u }i
0
0
2

(41)

The virtual work due to the nodal forces and moment is

W {F}i T {u}i {u}i {F}i

(42)

where

{F}i T Fk

M xk

M yk

Fl

M xl

M yl

Fm

M xm

M ym

Fn

M xn

M yn

(43)

Hamiltons principle yields the equation of motion.

[m]{u}i [k]{u}i {F}i

(44)

The respective local mass and stiffness matrices are

b a
P (x, y) dxdy [c]
0 0

[m] h [c]T

b a
S(x, y) dxdy [c]
0 0

[k ] D [c]T

(45)

(46)

The local matrices can then be assembled into global matrices. Then boundary conditions can be
applied.

The generalized eigenvalue problem is

{[K] 2 [M]}U 0

(47)

where
K

is the global stiffness matrix

is the global mass matrix

is the natural frequency

is the corresponding mode shape

Note that there is a natural frequency and mode shape for each degree-of-freedom.

References
1. W. Soedel, Vibrations of Shells and Plates, Third Edition (Dekker Mechanical Engineering),
Third Edition, Marcel Dekker, New York, 2004.
2. R. Blevins, Formulas for Natural Frequency and Mode Shape, Krieger, Malabar, Florida,
1979. See Table 11-6.

APPENDIX A

Mass Matrix Core

1
x

y
2
x
xy
2
y
T
{Z}{Z} 3 1 x
x
2
x y
2
xy
y3
3
x y
xy 3

y x2

xy

y2

x3

x 2 y xy 2

y3

x 3 y xy 3

(A-1)

{Z}{Z}T
1
x

x2
x
y
xy

2
x
x3

x2y
xy
y2
xy 2
3
x4
x
x 2 y x 3 y

xy 2 x 2 y 2
3
xy 3
y
x 3y x 4 y
3
x 2 y3
xy

x2

xy

y2

x3

x2y

xy 2

y3

x3y

xy

x3

x2y

xy 2

x4

x3y

x 2y2

xy 3

x4y

y2

x2y

xy 2

y3

x3y

x 2y2

xy 3

y4

x3y2

x 2y2

x4

x3y

x 2y2

x5

x4y

x3y2

x 2 y3

x5y

xy 2

x3y

x 2y2

xy 3

x4y

x3y2

x 2 y3

xy 4

x 4y2

y3

x 2y2

xy 3

y4

x3y2

x 2 y3

xy 4

y5

x 3 y3

x3y

x5

x4y

x3y2

x6

x5y

x 4y2

x 3y3

x6y

x 2y2

x4y

x3y2

x 2 y3

x5y

x 4y2

x 3y3

x 2y4

x5y2

xy 3

x3y2

x 2 y3

xy 4

x 4y2

x 3y3

x 2y4

xy 5

x 4 y3

y4

x 2 y3

xy 4

y5

x 3 y3

x 2y4

xy 5

y6

x3y4

x3y2

x5y

x 4y2

x 3 y3

x6y

x5y2

x 4 y3

x3y4

x6y2

xy 4

x 3 y3

x 2y4

xy 5

x 4 y3

x3y4

x 2 y5

xy 6

x 4y4

xy 3

x 2 y3
xy 4
x 3y3

x 2y4
xy 5

x 4 y3
x3y4

x 2 y5

xy 6
x 4y4

x 2 y 6
(A-2)

10

APPENDIX B
Stiffness Matrix Core
Again,

{Z}T 1 x y x 2

xy

y2

x3

x 2 y xy 2

y3

x 3 y xy 3

(B-1)

The derivatives are

Z
0 1 0 2x
x

Z
2
0 0 1 0 x 2y 0 x
y

xy

2xy

y2

0 3x 2 y y 3

0 0 0 2 0 0 6x 2 y 0 0 6xy

y 0 3x 2

2xy 3y 2

0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2x 2 y 0 3x 2

x3

0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2x 6 y 0 6xy

(B-2)

(B-3)

3xy 2

3y 2

(B-4)

(B-5)

(B-6)

11

 0
0

2
0
T

2 Z 2 Z
0

0 0 0 2 0 0 6x 2 y 0 0 6xy
2 2
6x
x x

2y
0

6xy
0

(B-7)

0
0

0
0
T

2 Z 2 Z
0
2 2
0
x x

0
0

0
0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

12x

4y

0 0

12xy

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

12xy

0 0

36x 2 y

0 0

12x

0 0

36x 2

0 0

4y

0 0

12xy

4y 2

0 0

12xy 2

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0 12xy

0 0 36x 2 y 12xy 2

0 0 36x 2 y 2

0 0

0 0

0 0

0
0
0

0
0

0
0

0
0

0
0
(B-8)

12

 0
0

0
0
T

2 Z 2 Z
2

0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2x 6 y 0 6xy
2 2
0
y y

0
2x

6y

0
6xy

(B-9)

0
0

0
0
T

2 Z 2 Z
0
2 2
0
y y

0
0

0
0

0 0 0 0

0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0

4x

12 y

0 0 0 0

0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0

12xy

0 0 0 0

4x

0 0

4x 2

0 0 0 0

12 y

0 0

12xy

36 y 2

0 0 0 0

0 0

36xy 2

0 0 0 0 12xy

0 12x 2 y

0
0

0
0

12xy
0

0
12x 2 y

36xy 2

0
36x 2 y 2
0

(B-10)

13

2 Z 2 Z
2 Z 2 Z
2 2 2 2
x x
y y
0

0
0

0
0

0
0

0
0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

12x

4y

12 xy

0 0

0 0

4x

12 y

12xy

36x 2 y

0 0

12x

36x 2

0 0

4y

12 xy

4y 2

12 xy 2

0 0

4x

4x 2

12 xy

12xy

36 y 2

36x 2 y 2

0 0

12 y

0 0 12 xy

0 0

0 12xy

36x 2 y 12xy 2
0

12x 2 y 36 xy 2

12 xy

12 x 2 y
36xy 2

36x 2 y 2

(B-11)

14

 0
0

2
0
T

2
2
Z Z
0

0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2x 6 y 0 6xy
2 2
6x
x y

2y
0

6xy
0

(B-12)

0
0

0
0
T
2
2
Z Z
0
2 2
0
x y

0
0

0
0

0 0 0 0

0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0

4x

12 y

0 0 0 0

0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0

0 0

12x 2

36xy

0
0

0 0 0 0

12x

0 0 0 0

4y

0 0

4xy

12 y 2

0 0 0 0

0 0

0 0 0 0

0 0

36xy 2

0 12x 2 y

0 0 0 0 12xy

0 0 0 0

0 0

0
0

12xy
0

0
36x 2 y

12xy 2
0

36x 2 y 2
0
0

(B-13)

15

 0
0

0
0
T

2 Z 2 Z
2

0 0 0 2 0 0 6x 2 y 0 0 6xy
2 2
0
y x

0
2x

6y

0
6xy

(B-14)

0
0

0
0
T

2 Z 2 Z
0
2 2
0
y x

0
0

0
0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

12x

4y

0 0

12xy

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0

4xy

0 0

12x 2 y

0 0

4x

0 0

12x 2

0 0

12 y

0 0

36xy

12 y 2

0 0

36xy 2

0 0

0 0

0 0

0 0 12xy

0 36x 2 y 12xy 2

0 0 36x 2 y 2

0
0
0

0
0

0
0

0
0

0
0
(B-15)

16

 2 Z 2 Z
2 2
x y
0
0

0
0

0
0

0
0

0
0

2 Z 2 Z

y 2 x 2

0 0

0 0
0 0

0
0

0
0

0
0

0
0

0
0

0
0

0
0

0
0

0 0

4x

12 y

0 0

0 0

12x

4y

12xy

12x 2

36xy

0
0

0 0

12x

0 0

4y

4xy

12 y 2

0 0

4x

12x 2

4xy

12x 2 y

0 0

12 y

36xy

12 y 2

36xy 2

0 0

0 0 12xy

0 12xy
0

36x 2 y 12xy 2

12x 2 y 36xy 2
0

0
36x 2 y 2

0
0

12xy
0

0
36x 2 y

12xy 2
0
0

36x 2 y 2
0
0

(B-16)

17

 0
0

0
1
T

2
2
Z Z
0

0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2x 2 y 0 3x 2

0
xy xy

2x
2y

0
2
3x
3y 2

3y 2

(B-17)

0
0

0
0
T

2 Z 2 Z
0

0
xy xy

0
0

0
0

0 0 0

0 0

0 0 0

0 0

0 0 0

0 0

0 0 0

0 0

0 0 0

0 0

2x

2y

3x 2

0 0 0

0 0

0 0 0

0 0

4xy

6x 3

0 0 0

2x

0 0

4x 2

0 0 0

2y

0 0

4xy

4y 2

6x 2 y

0 0 0

0 0

0 0

6x 3

6x 2 y

9x 4

6y 3

0 9x 2 y 2

0 0
0 0

0 3x 2
0 3y 2

0 0 6xy 2

0
0

0
3y 2

0
0

6xy 2
6y 3

9x 2 y 2
9 y 4
0

(B-18)

18

Let 21
T
T
2 2 T 2 2 T
2 Z 2 Z
2 Z 2 Z
Z Z
Z Z
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2
x x
y y
y x
x y

0
0

0
0

0
0

0
0

0
0

0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0

2 2 T
Z Z

xy xy

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

4
0
4
12 x
4y
4 x
12 y
12 xy
12 xy

2
2

0
1
0
0
2 x
2 y
0
3x
3y

4
0
4
12 x
4 y
4x
12 y
12 xy
12 xy

2
2
2
2

12 x
0
12 x
36 x
12 xy
12 x
36 xy
36 x y
36 x y

4y
2 x
4 y
12 xy
4 y 2 4 x 2
4 xy 4 xy
12 y 2
12 xy 2 6 x 3
12 xy 2 6 xy 2

4 x
2 y
4x
12 x 2
4 xy 4 xy
4 x 2 4 y 2
12 xy
12 x 2 y 6 x 2 y
12 x 2 y 6 y 3

12 y
0
12 y
36 xy
12 y 2
12 xy
36 y 2
36 xy 2
36 xy 2

12 xy 3x 2 12 xy 36 x 2 y
12 xy 2 6 x 3 12 x 2 y 6 x 2 y 36 xy 2
36 x 2 y 2 9 x 4
36 x 2 y 2 9 x 2 y 2
12 xy 3y 2 12 xy 36 x 2 y 12 xy 2 6 xy 2 12 x 2 y 6 y 3
36 xy 2 36 x 2 y 2 9 x 2 y 2
36 x 2 y 2 9 y 4
0

(B-19)

19

APPENDIX C
Example 1
Consider an aluminum plate, with dimensions 4 x 6 x 0.125 inches. The plate is simply-supported on
all sides.
The natural frequencies are

m 2 n 2

,
a
b

m 1,2,3, , n 1,2,3,

(C-1)

Eh 3
12 (1 2 )
(1.0e 07 lbf / in ^ 2)(0.125 in )^3
12 (1 0.3^ 2)

1789 lbf in
(C-2)

h (0.1 / 386) lbf sec^2/in^4 (0.125 in )

3.238e - 05 lbf sec^2/in^3
(C-3)

20

2
2

n
1789 lbf in
m

mn
,
3.238e - 05 lbf sec^2/in^3 6 in
4 in

m 1,2,3, , n 1,2,3,

(C-4)

Table C-1. Natural Frequencies,

Hand Calculation
fn(Hz)
m
n
1054

2027

3243

3649

4216

Now perform a finite element analysis with 13 nodes along the X-axis and 9 nodes along the Y-axis.
The analysis is performed using the mass and stiffness matrices derived in the main text, as
implemented in Matlab script: plate_fea.m
The fundamental mode shape is shown in Figure C-1. The natural frequency comparison is shown in
Table C-2.

21

Mode 1 fn=

1049 Hz

100

50

0
4

4
0

Figure C-1.

Table C-2. Natural Frequencies

Mode

Hand
Calculation
fn(Hz)

FEA
fn(Hz)

1054

1049

2027

2006

3243

3223

3649

3603

4216

4136

22

APPENDIX D

Example 2
Repeat example 1 but change the boundary conditions such that the corners are pinned. The edges
are otherwise free.
The fundamental frequency is 291 Hz using the hand calculation formula from Reference 2.
Again, the analysis is performed using the mass and stiffness matrices derived in the main text, as
implemented in Matlab script: plate_fea.m
The natural frequency comparison is shown in Table D-1. The mode shapes are shown in the
following figures.

Table D-1. Natural Frequencies

Mode

Hand
Calculation
fn(Hz)

FEA
fn(Hz)

291

294

708

852

1110

1739

23

Mode 1 fn= 294.2 Hz

100

80

60

40

20

0
4
3
2
1
0

Figure D-1.
Mode 2 fn=

708 Hz

150

100

50

-50

-100

-150
4
3
6

2
4

1
0

Figure D-2.

24

Mode 3 fn= 852.3 Hz

80

60

40

20

-20

-40

-60

-80
4
3
2
1
0

Figure D-3.
Mode 4 fn=

1110 Hz

100
80
60
40
20
0
-20
-40
-60
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
6

1.5

5
4

3
0.5

2
0

1
0

Figure D-4.
25

Mode 5 fn=

1739 Hz

100
50
0
-50
-100
4
3.5
6
3
5

2.5
4

2
3

1.5
2

1
1

0.5
0

Figure D-5.

26