Abstract: Based on von Karman plate theory, the issue about nonlinear vibration for circular sandwich plates under circumjacent load with the loosely clamped boundary condition was researched. Nonlinear differential eigenvalue equations and boundary conditions of the problem were formulated by variational method and then their exact static solution can be got. The solution was derived by modified iteration method, so the analytic relations between amplitude and nonlinear oscillating frequency for circular sandwich plates were obtained. When circumjacent load makes the lowest natural frequency zero, critical load is obtained.

Key words: sandwich plate, nonlinear vibration, critical load, buckling, amplitude frequency-load characteristic relation