Dynamical analysis of a thin-walled rectangular plate with preload force

Abstract
Finite element (FE) models are utilized to investigate the influence of preload force and the stress stiffening on the dynamic characteristics of a thin-walled rectangular plate. An experimental platform system is established to obtain the dynamic characteristics of the specimen using the resonance method. Simulation and experimental results agree well with each other, which validates the effectiveness of the FE model. The results show that the preload force not only improves the overall dynamic performances of the thin-walled plate but also contributes to the local stiffness of the loading position because of the generation of stress.