An advanced higher-order theory for laminated composite plates with general lamination angles

This paper proposes a higher-order shear deformation theory to predict the bending response of the laminated composite and sandwich plates with general lamination configurations.The proposed theory a priori satisfies the continuity conditions of transverse shear stresses at interfaces.Moreover,the number of unknown variables is independent of the number of layers.The first derivatives of transverse displacements have been taken out from the inplane displacement fields,so that the C 0 shape functions are only required during its finite element implementation.Due to C 0 continuity requirements,the proposed model can be conveniently extended for implementation in commercial finite element codes.To verify the proposed theory,the fournode C 0 quadrilateral element is employed for the interpolation of all the displacement parameters defined at each nodal point on the composite plate.Numerical results show that following the proposed theory,simple C 0 finite elements could accurately predict the interlaminar stresses of laminated composite and sandwich plates directly from a constitutive equation,which has caused difficulty for the other global higher order theories.     

A refined finite element method for bending analysis of laminated plates integrated with piezoelectric fiber-reinforced composite actuators

This research presents a finite element formulation based on four-variable refined plate theory for bending analysis of cross-ply and angle-ply laminated composite plates integrated with a piezoelectric fiber-reinforced composite actuator under electromechanical loading. The four-variable refined plate theory is a simple and efficient higher-order shear deformation theory, which predicts parabolic variation of transverse shear stresses across the plate thickness and satisfies zero traction conditions on the plate free surfaces. The weak form of governing equations is derived using the principle of minimum potential energy, and a 4-node non-conforming rectangular plate element with 8 degrees of freedom per node is introduced for discretizing the domain. Several benchmark problems are solved by the developed MATLAB code and the obtained results are compared with those from exact and other numerical solutions, showing good agreement.     

A finite wavelet domain method for wave propagation analysis in thick laminated composite and sandwich plates

An efficient numerical method is developed for the simulation of three dimensional transient dynamic response in thick laminated composite and sandwich plate structures involving very high frequencies and wave numbers. The proposed method incorporates Daubechies wavelet scaling functions for the interpolation of the in-plane displacements with a Galerkin formulation. It further explores the orthonormality and compact support of wavelet scaling functions to produce near diagonal consistent mass matrices and banded stiffness matrices. Hence, an uncoupled equivalent discrete spatial dynamic system is formulated, synthesized and rapidly solved in the wavelet domain using an explicit time integration scheme. The in-plane wavelet interpolation is further combined with an efficient high order layerwise laminate plate theory, that implements Hermite cubic splines for the through-the-thickness approximation of displacement fields. Numerical results are presented on the prediction of guided waves in laminated and thick sandwich composite plates and compared with respective solutions obtained by analytical, semi-analytical and time domain spectral element models. The method yielded higher convergence rates and substantial reductions in computational effort compared to respective time domain spectral finite elements.     

A new simple third-order shear deformation theory of plates

An improved simple third-order shear deformation theory for the analysis of shear flexible plates is presented in this paper. This new plate theory is composed of three parts: the simple third-order kinematics of displacements reduced from the higher-order displacement field derived previously by the author; a system of 10th-order differential equilibrium equations in terms of the three generalized displacements of bending plates; five boundary conditions at each edge of plate boundaries. Although the resulting displacement field is the same as that proposed by Murthy, the variational consistent governing equations and the associated proper boundary conditions are derived and identified in this work for the first time in the literature. The applications and accuracy of the present shear deformation theory of plates are demonstrated by analytically solving the differential governing equations of a twisting plate, a bending beam and two bending plates to which the 3-D elasticity solutions are available, and excellent agreements are achieved even for the torsion of a plate with square cross-section as well the local effects of stresses at plate boundaries can be characterized accurately. These analytical solutions clearly show that the simple third-order shear deformation theory developed in this work indeed gives better results than the first-order shear deformation theories and other simple higher-order shear deformation theories, since the present third-order shear flexible theory is based on a more rigorous kinematics of displacements and consists of not only a system of variational consistent differential equations, but also a group of consistent boundary conditions associated with the differential equations. The present simple third-order shear deformation theory can easily be applied to the static and dynamic finite element analysis of laminated plates just like the applications of other popular shear flexible plate theories, and improved results could be obtained from the present simple third-order shear deformable theories of plates.     

Dynamic stability analysis of composite plates including delaminations using a higher order theory and transformation matrix approach

A refined higher order shear deformation theory is used to investigate the dynamic instability associated with composite plates with delamination that are subject to dynamic compressive loads. Both transverse shear and rotary inertia effects are taken into account. The theory is capable of modeling the independent displacement field above and below the delamination. All stress free boundary conditions at free surfaces as well as delamination interfaces are satisfied by this theory. The procedure is implemented using the finite element method. Delamination is modeled through the multi-point constraint approach using the transformation matrix technique. For validation purposes, the natural frequencies and the critical buckling loads are computed and compared with three-dimensional NASTRAN results and available experimental data. The effect of delamination on the critical buckling load and the first two instability regions is investigated for various loading conditions and plate thickness. As expected, the natural frequencies and the critical buckling load of the plates with delaminations decrease with increase in delamination length. Increase in delamination length also causes instability regions to be shifted to lower parametric resonance frequencies. The effect of edge delamination on the static and dynamic stability as well as of delamination growth is investigated.     

Transient dynamic response of debonded sandwich plates predicted with finite element analysis

Dynamic transient response of a composite sandwich plate with a penny-shaped debonded zone has been studied by using the finite element analysis within the ABAQUS/Explicit code in this paper. In order to accurately predict the response of the debonded sandwich plate to impulsive loading, contact–impact and sliding conditions along the damaged skin-to-core interface were imposed in the model through a kinematic predictor/corrector contact algorithm. The accuracy of the finite element (FE) model used was verified by comparing between numerical predictions and experimental data known in literature for the frequency spectrum of a cracked polycarbonate laminated beam containing a delamination. By analyzing nonlinear aspects of the transient dynamics of the sandwich plate, it is shown that the presence of the debond significantly alters its short-term response. In this respect, a considerable influence of contact events within the debonded region on the plate’s global dynamic response was found out. These results were presented in both time and frequency domains. The predictions performed also showed that the FE model applied would be useful for nondestructive evaluation of defects in composite sandwich plates, and for studying dynamic response of such plates to impact.     

复合材料层压板低速冲击响应尺度效应数值模拟研究

为了研究尺度效应对于复合材料层压板在低速冲击作用下的动态响应和冲击损伤的影响,基于相似理论,建立了三种不同尺寸的层压板受冲击的三维有限元模型。在该模型中,针对层压板的面内损伤,采用改进的Chang-Chang准则进行预测;针对层压板内层间分层损伤,则使用Cohesive界面单元进行模拟。一旦复合材料层压板在低速冲击作用下产生损伤,则对出现损伤的区域进行材料参数退化。采用该模型对三种不同尺寸的层压板的冲击过程进行有限元分析,并将不同冲击速度下的冲击响应进行比较,得出了如下结论：在层压板内未发生冲击损伤时,冲击产生的挠度和冲击力与相似理论解十分吻合,一旦出现冲击损伤,则冲击力的变化与相似理论解有所差别;如果两个缩放模型的冲击速度之比等于缩放比例的平方根,则两个模型中的相对分层尺寸基本是相同的,这个结果与已有的实验结果吻合;而对冲击后面内损伤的分析表明,其损伤尺寸不符合这一相似规律。     

Nonlinear dynamic response of piezoelastic laminated plates considering interfacial damage effects

This paper presents a nonlinear model for cross-ply piezoelastic laminated plates containing the damage effect of the intralayer materials and interlaminar interfaces. The model is based on the general six-degrees-of-freedom plate theory, the discontinuity of displacement, and electric potential on the interfaces are depicted by three shape functions, which are formulated according to solutions about three equilibrium equations and conservation of charge. By using the Hamilton variation principle, the three-dimensional nonlinear dynamic equations of piezoelastic laminated plates with damage are presented. Then using the finite difference method and the Newmark scheme, an analytical solution is presented. In numerical examples, the effects of different damage models, damage evolution, amplitude and frequency of electric loads on the nonlinear dynamic response of piezoelectric laminated plate with interfacial imperfections are investigated.     

NONLINEAR DYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF A LAMINATED HYBRID COMPOSITE PLATE SUBJECTED TO TIME-DEPENDENT EXTERNAL PULSES

Nonlinear dynamic responses of a laminated hybrid composite plate subjected to time-dependent pulses are investigated. Dynamic equations of the plate are derived by the use of the virtual work principle. The geometric nonlinearity effects are taken into account with the von Kármán large deflection theory of thin plates. Approximate solutions for a clamped plate are assumed for the space domain. The single term approximation functions are selected by considering the nonlinear static deformation of plate obtained using the finite element method. The Galerkin Method is used to obtain the nonlinear differential equations in the time domain and a MATLAB software code is written to solve nonlinear coupled equations by using the Newmark Method. The results of approximate-numerical analysis are obtained and compared with the finite element results. Transient loading conditions considered include blast, sine, rectangular, and triangular pulses. A parametric study is conducted considering the effects of peak pressure, aspect ratio, fiber orientation and thicknesses.     

Enhanced first-order theory based on mixed formulation and transverse normal effect

An accurate prediction of displacements and stresses for laminated and sandwich plates is presented using an enhanced first-order plate theory based on the mixed variational theorem (EFSDTM) developed in this paper. In the mixed formulation, transverse shear stresses based on an efficient higher-order plate theory (EHOPT) developed by Cho and Parmerter [Cho, M., Parmerter, R.R., 1993. Efficient higher-order composite plate theory for general lamination configurations. AIAA Journal 31, 1299–1306] are utilized and modified to satisfy prescribed lateral conditions, and displacements are assumed to be those of a first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT). Relationships between the modified EHOPT and the FSDT are systematically derived via both the mixed variational theorem and the least-square approximation of difference between in-plane stresses including the transverse normal stress effect. It is shown that the transverse normal stress effect should be considered in predicting the in-plane stresses when the Poisson effect is dominant. The developed EFSDTM preserves the computational advantage of the classical FSDT while allowing for important local through-the-thickness variations of displacements and stresses through the recovery procedure. The accuracy and efficiency of the present theory are assessed by comparing its results with various plate models as well as the three-dimensional exact solutions for thick laminated and sandwich plates.     

冰载荷下不锈钢复合板挠度特性分析

以复合板中面的挠度响应作为不锈钢复合板抗冲击性能的评价指标,基于能量法和经典层合板理论,考虑层间结构参数设计,通过横向载荷下的弯曲平衡微分方程,建立冰载荷下不锈钢复合板挠度响应简化解析模型。该分析模型将整个动态响应分析过程分为冰载荷计算分析和动力学方程求解两个阶段。分析了冰载荷模型的面倾角、冲击速度和碰撞位置对冰载荷的影响,确定极端工况参数,汇总接触面的节点力数据;分析了层厚比对挠度响应的影响规律;基于LS-DYNA有限元仿真以及数值算例分析,对比挠度响应仿真结果和解析计算值,验证了本文简化解析模型的准确性,研究结果对不锈钢复合板抗冲击性能分析和评估具有一定的参考价值。     

Dynamic interaction effects of multiple delaminations in plates subject to cylindrical bending

The interaction of multiple delaminations in a laminated composite plate loaded dynamically under plane strain conditions (cylindrical bending) is studied by a simple but accurate model that represents the delaminated plate as a set of Timoshenko beams joined by cohesive interfaces. Behavioral maps are derived, which distinguish conditions under which multiple delaminations tend to propagate with equal lengths from those under which one of them tends to grow as a dominant crack with relatively high velocity. In homogeneous systems, equal length growth is favored when the delaminations are equally spaced through the thickness. While the behavioral maps are similar to those for static loading conditions, significant dynamic effects arise in the details of propagation: the maximum energy release rate depends strongly on the loading rate, duration and profile; dynamic effects and crack-interaction effects are generally coupled; and strong hammering effects (chaotic collisions of sub-laminates) can occur during the free wave motions that arise after the load is removed. The hammering effect can be suppressed by imposing a large-scale bridging mechanism (bridging extending far in the crack wake, as from pins or stitches), whereupon energy release rates tend to show smooth oscillations associated with waves propagating on the scale of the whole specimen. The energy absorbed during failure will depend significantly on whether conditions favor multiple delaminations propagating with equal lengths or a single delamination growing dominantly.     

Nonlinear transient response of strain rate dependent composite laminated plates using multiscale simulation

The effects of strain rate dependency and inelasticity on the transient responses of composite laminated plates are investigated. A micromechanics model which accounts for the transverse shear stress effect, the effect of strain rate dependency and the effect of inelasticity is used for analyzing the mechanical responses of the fiber and matrix constituents. The accuracy of the micromechanics model under transverse shear loading is verified by comparing the results with those obtained using a general purpose finite element code. A higher order laminated plate theory is extended to capture the inelastic deformations of the composite plate and is implemented using the finite element technique. A complete micro–macro numerical procedure is developed to model the strain rate dependent behavior of inelastic composite laminates by implementing the micromechanics model into the finite element model. Parametric studies of the transient responses of composite plates are conduced. The effects of geometry, ply stacking sequence, material models, boundary conditions and loadings are investigated. The results show that the strain rate dependency and inelasticity influence the transient responses of composite plates via two significantly different mechanisms.     

Analysis of interlaminar stress and nonlinear dynamic response for composite laminated plates with interfacial damage

By considering the effect of interfacial damage and using the variation principle, three-dimensional nonlinear dynamic governing equations of the laminated plates with interfacial damage are derived based on the general sixdegrees-of-freedom plate theory towards the accurate stress analysis. The solutions of interlaminar stress and nonlinear dynamic response for a simply supported laminated plate with interfacial damage are obtained by using the finite difference method, and the results are validated by comparison with the solution of nonlinear finite element method. In numerical calculations, the effects of interfacial damage on the stress in the interface and the nonlinear dynamic response of laminated plates are discussed.     

ANALYSIS OF INTER-LAMINAR STRESSES FOR COMPOSITE LAMINATED PLATE WITH INTERFACIAL DAMAGE

A constitutive model for composite laminated plates with the damage effect of the intra-layers and inter-laminar interface is presented. The model is based on the general six-degrees-of-freedom plate theory, the discontinuity of displacement on the interfaces are depicted by three shape functions, which are formulated according to solutions satisfying three equilibrium equations, By using the variation principle, the three-dimensional non-linear equilibrium differential equations of the laminated plates with two different damage models are derived. Then, considering a simply supported laminated plate with damage, an analytical solution is presented using finite difference method to obtain the inter-laminar stresses.     

压电层合梁静动力学分析的高精度梁单元

给出了一个对复合材料压电层合梁进行数值分析的高精度压电层合梁单元。基于Shi三阶剪切变形板理论的位移场和Layer-wise理论的电势场,用力-电耦合的变分原理及Hamilton原理推导了压电层合梁单元列式。采用拟协调元方法推导了一个可显式给出单元刚度矩阵的两节点压电层合梁单元,并应用于压电层合梁的力-电耦合弯曲和自由振动分析。计算结果表明,该梁单元给出的梁挠度和固有频率与解析解吻合良好,并优于其它梁单元的计算结果,说明了本文所给压电层合梁单元的可靠性和准确性。研究结果可为力-电耦合作用下压电层合梁的力学分析提供一个简单、精确且高效的压电层合梁单元。     

板结构计算模型的新发展

现代复合材料层合板具有高强和轻型的突出优点,从而在军工和民用等诸多领域发挥着重要作用。这种板结构的特点是随着纤维走向的不同,层间材料的物理-力学特性发生剧烈变化。沿板厚方向变形的梯度比较陡峭,并在层间结合面处发生强不连续,呈现zig-zag （锯齿状）现象。这导致横向剪应变在板的静态和动态响应中发生重要作用,不计横向变形的经典组合板计算模型CLPT难以适应现代多层板计算分析的需要。考虑横向剪切变形影响的板的计算模型得到重视和发展。需要指出,现有各种考虑剪切变形影响的计算模型虽然有了很大的发展,但在全面和准确性上仍然存在一定的不足,难以适应现代多层组合板横向力和物理性能多变的情况。模型预测的沿板厚方向位移和应力的变化规律难以通过严格的检验。本文提出的以比例边界有限元为基础的正交各向异性板的数值计算模型,同时可适用于各种薄板与厚板的分析,对现代复合材料层合板的分析具有特殊的优越性。所得到的板的位移、正应力和剪应力沿板厚方向的变化,与三维弹性理论的标准解高度吻合。数值算例进一步表明,随着层间纤维走向的变化,板内位移场和应力场沿板厚方向剧烈变化所呈现的锯齿现象均可以精准地进行模拟。据此,本文建议方法对现代板分析的广泛适应性和高度准确性得到了充分论证。     

基于高阶剪切变形理论的四边形求积元板单元及其应用

近年来由各类新型复合材料或功能梯度材料构成的板结构在工程领域得到了广泛应用,其显著特点是材料性能沿板厚变化.为合理考虑横向剪切应变,许多学者基于Reddy高阶剪切变形理论,构建了不同的有限元单元对该类板结构进行分析,但其中满足$C^{1}$连续条件的单元相对较少.本文基于Reddy高阶剪切变形理论,采用求积元方法,建立了$C^{1}$连续的四边形板单元.利用该单元对均质材料、复合材料、功能梯度材料构成的等厚度矩形板、变厚度矩形板及等厚度斜板的线弹性弯曲和自由振动问题进行了计算分析,并与现有文献中的相应计算结果进行了对比.研究表明:基于高阶剪切变形理论的四边形求积元板单元具有较高的计算效率和良好的适应性,文中各类材料构成的等变厚度矩形板及等厚度斜板均只需1个单元即可得到理想的计算结果.对于等/变厚度矩形板,可仅使用9$\times$9个积分点,而对于等厚度斜板,随着斜角的增大,所需积分点的数目逐渐增多至15$\times $15.该四边形求积元板单元可进一步用于新型复合材料板的非线性分析.      

Stress analysis of finite composite laminate with multiple loaded holes

Based on the classical laminated plate theory, a finite composite plate weakened by multiple elliptical holes is treated as an anisotropic multiple connected plate. Using the complex potential method in the plane theory of elasticity of an anisotropic body, an analytical study concerned with the stress distributions around multiple loaded holes in finite composite laminated plates subjected to arbitrary loads was performed. The analysis makes use of the Faber series expansion, conformal mapping and the least squares boundary collocation techniques. The effects of plate and hole sizes, layups, the relative distance between holes, the total number of holes and their locations on the stress distribution are studied in detail. Some conclusions are drawn.     

Dynamic analysis of laminated cross-ply composite non-circular thick cylindrical shells using higher-order theory

Here, the dynamic analysis of laminated cross-ply composite non-circular thick cylindrical shells subjected to thermal/mechanical load is carried out based on higher-order theory. The formulation accounts for the variation of the in-plane and transverse displacements through the thickness, abrupt discontinuity in slope of the in-plane displacements at the interfaces, and includes in-plane, rotary inertia terms, and also the inertia contributions due to the coupling between the different order displacement terms. The strain–displacement relations are accurately accounted for in the formulation. The shell responses are obtained employing finite element approach in conjunction with direct time integration technique. A detailed parametric study is carried out to bring out the effects of length and thickness ratios, eccentricity parameters and number of layers on the thermal/mechanical response characteristics of non-circular shells.