Adaptive AI-driven based free vibration analysis of sandwich plates with bio-inspired Platycladus fiber viscoelastic core

The dynamic performance of sandwich structures is strongly influenced by the damping characteristics of the core material; however, studies on bio-inspired viscoelastic cores remain limited. This study investigates the free vibration behaviour of three-layer sandwich plates comprising isotropic face sheets and a novel Platycladus fibre rheological elastomer (PFRE) viscoelastic core through an integrated experimental–numerical–AI framework. The frequency-dependent viscoelastic properties of the PFRE core are first characterized using Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA) based on a three-point bending test. Experimental Modal Analysis (EMA) is subsequently performed to determine the natural frequencies and loss factors of the sandwich plates under various boundary conditions. A finite element model (FEM) implemented in MATLAB is developed and validated against the experimental results to accurately predict the dynamic response of the structures. Furthermore, Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) models are established to provide rapid prediction of modal parameters over a wide range of design configurations. The results reveal that increasing the aspect ratio decreases both natural frequencies and loss factors, whereas increasing the core and face-sheet thicknesses enhances the natural frequencies of the sandwich plates. Excellent agreement is observed among the experimental measurements, finite element predictions, and ANFIS results. The principal contribution of this work is the development of a unified experimental-numerical-AI framework that combines the characterization of a novel bio-inspired PFRE viscoelastic core, validated finite element modelling, and ANFIS-based prediction to enable accurate and computationally efficient vibration analysis of sustainable sandwich plate structures. The findings demonstrate the potential of PFRE as a sustainable and effective damping material for lightweight structures requiring enhanced vibration control.