Vibration and stability of cross-ply laminated composite plates according to a global higher-order plate theory

Natural frequencies and buckling stresses of cross-ply laminated composite plates are analyzed by taking into account the effects of shear deformation, thickness change and rotatory inertia. By using the method of power series expansion of displacement components, a set of fundamental dynamic equations of a two-dimensional higher-order theory for thick rectangular laminates subjected to in-plane stresses is derived through Hamilton's principle. Several sets of truncated approximate theories are applied to solve the eigenvalue problems of a simply supported thick laminated plate. In order to assure the accuracy of the present theory, convergence properties of the lowest natural frequency and buckling stress are examined in detail. Numerical results are compared with those of the published existing theories and FEM solutions. The modal displacement and stress distributions in the thickness direction are obtained and plotted in figures. It is noticed that the present global higher-order approximate theories can predict the natural frequencies, buckling stresses and stresses of thick multilayered composite laminates as accurately as three-dimensional solutions.     

A hierarchical multiple plate models theory for laminated composites including delamination and geometrical nonlinear effects

Modeling and predicting the response and failure of laminated composite structures is a very challenging task. On one hand the designer is interested in the overall response of the structure, but on the other he is also interested in modeling phenomena such as damage which have a localized behavior. The ideal solution would be to carry out the analysis at a global level enhancing the model by adding localized information when needed.     

Flexural analysis of laminated plates based on trigonometric layerwise shear deformation theory

ABSTRACT

A trigonometric layerwise shear deformation theory is developed for the flexural analysis of laminated plates. The present theory achieves in-plane displacement continuity, transverse shear stress continuity, and traction-free boundary condition. Hence, botheration of shear correction coefficient is neglected. The governing differential equation and boundary conditions are obtained from the principle of virtual work. Although the present analytical method is bounded to a corner supported boundary condition, it neglects the numerical and computational error. Like first-order shear deformation theory, the present theory possesses five numbers of unknowns. Several numerical predictions are carried out and results are compared with those of other existing numerical approaches.     

Thermal buckling of cross-ply laminated composite and sandwich plates according to a global higher-order deformation theory

A two-dimensional global higher-order deformation theory is presented for thermal buckling of cross-ply laminated composite and sandwich plates. By using the method of power series expansion of continuous displacement components, a set of fundamental governing equations which can take into account the effects of both transverse shear and normal stresses is derived through the principle of virtual work. Several sets of truncated Mth-order approximate theories are applied to solve the eigenvalue problems of a simply supported multilayered plate. Modal transverse shear and normal stresses can be calculated by integrating the three-dimensional equations of equilibrium in the thickness direction, and satisfying the continuity conditions at the interface between layers and stress boundary conditions at the external surfaces. Numerical results are compared with those of the published three-dimensional layerwise theory in which both in-plane and normal displacements are assumed to be C⁰ continuous in the continuity conditions at the interface between layers. Effects of the difference of displacement continuity conditions between the three-dimensional layerwise theory and the global higher-order theory are clarified in thermal buckling problems of multilayered composite plates.     

A model of composite laminated Reddy plate of the global-local theory based on new modified couple-stress theory

In this article, based on the global-local theory, a model for a composite laminated Reddy plate of new modified couple-stress theory is developed for the first time. This model satisfies free surface conditions and the geometric and stresses continuity conditions at interfaces. Differing from existing modified couple-stress theory, an anisotropic constitutive relation is suggested. There is only one micro material characteristic length constant in each layer of the composite laminated plate. Principle of virtual work is employed to derive the equilibrium equations and the corresponding boundary conditions. With the example of a cross-ply simple-supported Reddy plate subjected to the bending load q₀ = sin?(πx/L)sin?(πy/L), the transverse shear stresses at interfaces are addressed. Additionally, the numerical results show that the present plate model can capture the scale effect, especially the scale effect of the transverse shear stresses at interfaces of the composite laminated plate.     

Dynamic stability of laminated FGM plates based on higher-order shear deformation theory

This paper conducts a dynamic stability analysis of symmetrically laminated FGM rectangular plates with general out-of-plane supporting conditions, subjected to a uniaxial periodic in-plane load and undergoing uniform temperature change. Theoretical formulations are based on Reddys third-order shear deformation plate theory, and account for the temperature dependence of material properties. A semi-analytical Galerkin-differential quadrature approach is employed to convert the governing equations into a linear system of Mathieu–Hill equations from which the boundary points on the unstable regions are determined by Bolotins method. Free vibration and bifurcation buckling are also discussed as subset problems. Numerical results are presented in both dimensionless tabular and graphical forms for laminated plates with FGM layers made of silicon nitride and stainless steel. The influences of various parameters such as material composition, layer thickness ratio, temperature change, static load level, boundary constraints on the dynamic stability, buckling and vibration frequencies are examined in detail through parametric studies.This work was fully supported by grants from the Australian Research Council (A00104534) and from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (Project No. CityU 1024/01 E). The authors are grateful for this financial support.     

An accurate higher-order theory and C finite element for free vibration analysis of laminated composite and sandwich plates

At present, it is difficult to accurately predict natural frequencies of sandwich plates with soft core by using the C⁰ plate bending elements. Thus, the C¹ plate bending elements have to be employed to predict accurately dynamic response of such structures. This paper proposes an accurate higher-order C⁰ theory which is very different from other published higher-order theory satisfying the interlaminar stress continuity, as the first derivative of transverse displacement has been taken out from the in-plane displacement fields of the present theory. Therefore, the C⁰ interpolation functions is only required during its finite element implementation. Based on the Hamilton’s principle and Navier’s technique, analytical solutions to the natural frequency analysis of simply-supported laminated plates have been presented. To further extend the ranges of application of the proposed theory, an eight-node C⁰ continuous isoparametric element is used to model the proposed theory. Numerical results show the present C⁰ finite element can accurately predict the natural frequencies of sandwich plate with soft core, whereas other global higher-order theories are unsuitable for free vibration analysis of such soft-core structures.     

Advanced variable kinematics Ritz and Galerkin formulations for accurate buckling and vibration analysis of anisotropic laminated composite plates

Accurate free-vibrations and linearized buckling analysis of anisotropic laminated plates with different lamination schemes and simply supported boundary condition are addressed in this paper. Approximation methods, such as Rayleigh-Ritz, Galerkin and Generalized Galerkin, based on Principle of Virtual Displacement are derived in the framework of Carrera’s Unified Formulation (CUF). CUF widely used in the analysis of composite laminate beams, plates and shells, have been here formulated both for the same and different expansion orders, for the displacement components, in the thickness layer-plate direction. An extensive assessment of advanced and refined plate theories, which include Equivalent single Layer (ESL), Zig-Zag (ZZ) and Layer-wise (LW) models, with increasing number of displacement variables is provided. Accuracy of the results is shown to increase by refining the theories. Convergence studies are made in order to demonstrate that accurate results are obtained examining thin and thick plates using trigonometric approximation functions. The effects of boundary terms, upon frequency parameters and critical loads are evaluated. The effects of the various parameters (material, number of layers, fiber orientation, thickness ratio, orthotropic ratio) upon the frequencies and critical loads are discussed as well. Numerical results are compared with 3D exact solution when available from the open literature.     

基于三维梁理论的复合材料层合管等效抗弯刚度

针对任意铺层形式和任意壁厚复合材料圆形层合管件,提出一种等效抗弯刚度的计算方法。此方法采用符合复合材料圆形管件梁真实变形的变形理论,考虑横向剪切变形,非均匀扭转效应,主、次挠曲效应和层合材料的三维弹性效应,按照壳壁中实际应力状态,建立了复合材料圆形管件等效抗弯刚度的计算模型。通过与4种铺层管件的三点弯曲实验结果以及经典层合板理论计算的等效抗弯刚度进行对比,验证了计算模型的正确性。通过退化与各向同性材料抗弯刚度的计算方法进行对比,分析了计算模型的适用性。      

An alternative numerical solution of 900/00/900 cross-ply laminated composite plate using displacement potential approach

Conventional loading with a composite plate has a very small moment of inertia due to its low height, and it was solved by shear deformation and other approaches. In the present study, a thin cross-ply 90⁰/0⁰/90⁰ laminated composite plate is erected to increase its height, which increases its moment of inertia with load; increased moments of inertia of the plate increase its load-carrying capacity in a real structure. Finite difference solutions of a cross-ply 90⁰/0⁰/90⁰ laminated plate made of T-300 carbon/epoxy are obtained using displacement potential approach. The plate behaves like a cantilever beam; one end of the plate is rigidly fixed and a uniformly distributed load is applied on its top span. The displacement potential approach is extended using the lamination theory of composite materials and plane stress concept. The different equivalent displacement, strain, and stress components at different sections of the plate with its deformed shape are discussed. Using the concept of the classical theory of laminations, different stress components along the lamina and inter-laminar regions are obtained. Besides to verify the reliability and soundness of the present numerical approach, the solutions of the present problem are compared with those of the finite element method.     

Finite element analysis of thermal stresses for laminated composites in terms of a new C0-type Reddy's theory

This article proposed an accurate C⁰-type Reddy's theory including effects of the transverse normal thermal strain to study the thermal behaviors of laminated composite plates. Although transverse normal thermal strain was taken into account, displacement variables are not increased as thermal loads can be included in the generalized force vector. Based on the proposed model, an eight-node quadrilateral isoparametric element is presented, in which the interelement C⁰ continuity conditions are satisfied. Numerical results show that the proposed model can produce accurate responses of laminated composite plates under temperature loads.     

A nth-order meshless generalization of Reddy’s third-order shear deformation theory for the free vibration on laminated composite plates

In this paper, a nth-order shear deformation theory is proposed to analyze the free vibration of laminated composite plates. The present nth-order shear deformation theory satisfies the zero transverse shear stress boundary conditions on the top and bottom surface of the plate. Reddy’s third-order theory can be considered as a special case of present nth-order theory (n = 3). Natural frequencies of the laminated composite plates with various boundary conditions, side-to-thickness ratios, material properties are computed by present nth-order theory and a meshless radial point collocation method based on the thin plate spline radial basis function. The results are compared with available published results which demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of present nth-order theory.     

Two simple and efficient displacement‐based quadrilateral elements for the analysis of composite laminated plates

Two simple 4‐node 20‐DOF and 4‐node 24‐DOF displacement‐based quadrilateral elements named RDKQ‐L20 and RDKQ‐L24 are developed in this paper based on the first‐order shear deformation theory (FSDT) for linear analysis of thin to moderately thick laminates. The deflection and rotation functions of the element sides are obtained from Timoshenko's laminated composite beam functions. Linear displacement interpolation functions of the standard 4‐node quadrilateral isoparametric plane element and displacement functions of a quadrilateral plane element with drilling degrees of freedom are taken as in‐plane displacements of the proposed elements RDKQ‐L20 and RDKQ‐L24, respectively. Due to the application of Timoshenko's laminated composite beam functions, convergence can be ensured theoretically for very thin laminates. The elements are simple in formulation, and shear‐locking free for extremely thin laminates even with full integration. A hybrid‐enhanced procedure is employed to improve the accuracy of stress analysis, especially for transverse shear stresses. Numerical tests show that the new elements are convergent, not sensitive to mesh distortion, accurate and efficient for analysis of thin to moderately thick laminates. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An improved discrete Kirchhoff quadrilateral element based on third‐order zigzag theory for static analysis of composite and sandwich plates

A new improved discrete Kirchhoff quadrilateral element based on the third‐order zigzag theory is developed for the static analysis of composite and sandwich plates. The element has seven degrees of freedom per node, namely, the three displacements, two rotations and two transverse shear strain components at the mid‐surface. The usual requirement of C¹ continuity of interpolation functions of the deflection in the third‐order zigzag theory is circumvented by employing the improved discrete Kirchhoff constraint technique. The element is free from the shear locking. The finite element formulation and the computer program are validated by comparing the results for simply supported plate with the analytical Navier solution of the zigzag theory. Comparison of the present results with those using other available elements based on zigzag theories for composite and sandwich plates establishes the superiority of the present element in respect of simplicity, accuracy and computational efficiency. The accuracy of the zigzag theory is assessed by comparing the finite element results of the square all‐round clamped composite plates with the converged three‐dimensional finite element solution obtained using ABAQUS. The comparisons also establish the superiority of the zigzag theory over the smeared third‐order theory having the same number of degrees of freedom. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.