Abstract

This work investigates the response to simply supported orthotropic rectangular plate resting on a variable elastic bi-parametric foundation under the action of moving distributed masses. The governing equation is a fourth order partial differential equation with variable and singular co-efficients. The solutions to the problem are obtained by transforming the fourth order partial differential equation for the problem to a set of coupled second order ordinary differential equations using the technique of Shadnam et al[12] which are then simplified using modified asymptotic method of Struble. The closed form solution is analyzed, resonance conditions are obtained and the results are presented in plotted curves for both cases of moving distributed mass and moving distributed force.