Free vibrations of anisotropic doubly-curved shells and panels of revolution with a free-form meridian resting on Winkler–Pasternak elastic foundations

Abstract The Generalized Differential Quadrature (GDQ) method is applied to study the dynamic behavior of anisotropic doubly-curved shells and panels of revolution with a free-form meridian resting on Winkler–Pasternak elastic foundations. The First-order Shear Deformation Theory (FSDT) is used to analyze the above mentioned moderately thick structural elements. In order to include the effect of the initial curvature from the beginning of the theory formulation a generalization of the kinematical model is adopted for the Reissner–Mindlin and Toorani–Lakis theory. By so doing a generalization of the theory of anisotropic doubly-curved shells and panels of revolution is proposed. Simple Rational Bezier curves are used to define the meridian curve of the revolution structures. The Differential Quadrature (DQ) rule is introduced to determine the geometric parameters of the structures with a free-form meridian. Results are obtained taking the meridional and circumferential co-ordinates into account, without using the Fourier modal expansion methodology. Comparisons between the general formulation and the Classical Reissner–Mindlin and Classical Toorani–Lakis theory are presented. New results are presented in order to investigate the effects of the Winkler modulus, the Pasternak modulus and the inertia of the elastic foundation on the free vibrations of anisotropic shells of revolution with a free-form meridian.