Effect of static inplane loads and boundary conditions on the flutter of flat rectangular panels

The present study examines the problem of flutter of flat rectangular panels subjected to static inplane loads, using the classical thin-plate theory and an approximate two-dimensional unsteady aerodynamic theory. The resulting governing differential equation is transformed into a set of algebraic equations using Galerkin's modal analysis method. These equations are solved to obtain the neutral13; stability points in terms of the critical (flutter) frequency and the critical (flutter) dynamic pressure. The results are obtained for various cases of panel aspect ratio, panel thickness ratio, boundary condition, and type and variation of the inplane loads. The study shows that the flutter mode is determined primarily by the first and13; the second vibration modes. Panel boundary conditions are found to influence the magnitudes of the flutter frequency and the dynamic pressure, though the nature of variation with inplane loads remains similar. The elasticity of the support is also examined, to arrive at simple analytical expressions for both the flutter frequency and the flutter dynamic pressure which are reasonably accurate. The present study brings out the fact that the series solution procedure is very useful in tackling the problems of panel flutter when the inplane shear loads or loads varying along the edges are present