Abstract: The present study is concerned with the vibration analysis of symmetric composite beams with a variable fiber volume fraction through thickness. First-order shear deformation and rotary inertia have been included in the analysis. The solution procedure is applicable to arbitrary boundary conditions. Continuous gradation of the fiber volume fraction is modeled in the form of an m-th power polynomial of the coordinate axis in the thickness direction of the beam. By varying the fiber volume fraction within the symmetric composite beam to create a functionally graded material (FGM), certain vibration characteristics are affected. Results are presented to demonstrate the effects of shear deformation, fiber volume fraction, and boundary conditions on the natural frequencies and mode shapes of composite beams.

Key words: free vibration, functionally graded materials, first-order shear deformation theory