The Large Deflection and Post-Buckling Behaviour of Some Laminated Plates

Abstract

Summary: The Dynamic Relaxation (DR) method is applied to the solution of geometrically non-linear, elastic, laminated plate, flexural and stability problems. Two categories of plate are considered, namely, those that are symmetrically and unsymmetrically laminated with respect to the plate middle surface. Whereas the former category exhibits a bending – twisting coupling phenomenon, the latter exhibits an extensional – flexural type of coupling. The effects of these coupling phenomena are evaluated by comparing the plate responses with those of corresponding homogeneous, specially orthotropic plates. With the exception of uniaxially compressed plates of the latter category in the post-buckling regime, it is found that for both flexural and stability problems the coupling phenomena cause a reduction in stiffness and the extent of this reduction is dependent on the lay-up of the laminate.