NONLINEAR AND POSTBUCKLING ANALYSES OF CURVED COMPOSITE PANELS SUBJECTED TO COMBINED TEMPERATURE-CHANGE AND EDGE SHEAR

The results of a detailed study of the nonlinear and postbuckling resp onses of curved unstiffened composite panels with central circular cut outs are presented. The panels are subjected to uniform temperature ch ange and an applied in-plane edge shear loading. The analysis is based on a first-order shear-deformation Sanders-Budiansky type theory with the effects of large displacements, moderate rotations, transverse sh ear deformation and laminated anisotropic material behavior included. A mixed formulation is used with the fundamental unknowns consisting o f the generalized displacements and the stress resultants of the panel . The nonlinear displacements, strain energy, transverse shear stresse s, transverse shear strain energy density, and their hierarchical sens itivity coefficients are evaluated. Numerical results are presented fo r cylindrical panels with central circular cutouts and are subjected t o uniform temperature change and an applied in-plane edge shear loadin g. The results show the effects of variations in the panel curvature, hole diameter, laminate stacking sequence and fiber orientation, on th e nonlinear and postbuckling panel responses, and their sensitivity to changes in the various panel, layer and micromechanical parameters. C opyright (C) 1996 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd