| Abstract: | This paper is concerned with the determination of exact buckling loads and vibration frequencies of stepped rectangular thin-plates using differential transform method (DTM) which is the modified form or the disguised form of the Taylor's series method. The plates have multi-spans or multi-line hinges having two opposite edges simply supported and the other two edges being clamped, free or simply supported. To develop an analytical approach for buckling or free vibration of multi-span plates, we use the Levy solution that satisfies equilibrium and compatibility conditions at the interfaces. New and exact buckling in-plane loads and the natural frequencies are determined for many cases. |
