FINITE STRIP LARGE DEFLECTION AND POST-OVERALL-BUCKLING ANALYSIS OF DIAPHRAGM-SUPPORTED PLATE STRUCTURES

A semi-analytical finite strip method is described for the analysis of the overall, geometrically non-linear, elastic behaviour of diaphragm -supported prismatic plate structures which may be made of composite l aminated material and may have initial geometric imperfections. Both t he large-deflection problem and the post-overall-buckling (under progr essive end shortening) problem are considered. Enhanced strain-displac ement relationships are used in the development of tile properties of a range of finite strip models, and particular attention is paid to th e appropriate representation of the longitudinal displacement. The dev elopment is made in the contexts of both first-order shear deformation and classical plate theories. A description is given of a small numbe r of applications, most of which concern blade-stiffened panels. A com parison is made between the predictions of the developed finite strip method and those of a commercial finite element package, and such comp arison is shown to be close. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.