Analytic analysis of free vibration problem of the plate with a rectangular cutout using symplectic superposition method combined with domain decomposition technique

Plates with rectangular cutouts is widely seen in the field of engineering structures. Therefore, it is crucial to examine analytical solutions for free vibration (FV) of these structures. Despite the existence of approximate/numerical methods, analytical solutions are lacking in the literature. In this study, we employ the symplectic superposition method to effectively analyze the FV problems encountered in plates with rectangular cutouts while integrating the domain decomposition technique. To address the issue of irregular geometry, the rectangular cutout plate is divided into multiple sub-plates. By dividing the problem into multiple sub-problems and solving them separately using variable separation and symplectic eigen expansion, we obtain analytical solutions. Finally, we combine the sub-problem solutions to resolve the initial issue. This solution method can be considered a logical, analytical, and systematic approach as it starts with the fundamental governing equation and is derived without assuming forms of solutions. The study presents a comprehensive set of numerical results that include mode shapes (MSs) and natural frequencies (NFs). The results are rigorously validated using the finite element method (FEM) and relevant literature. The symplectic superposition method demonstrates excellent convergence and precise accuracy, making it suitable for analytically modeling more complex mechanical problems of plates.