E. Madenci et A. Barut, PREBUCKLING AND POSTBUCKLING RESPONSE OF CURVED, THIN, COMPOSITE PANELS WITH CUTOUTS UNDER COMPRESSION, International journal for numerical methods in engineering, 37(9), 1994, pp. 1499-1510
Analytical predictions of the postbuckling response of curved composit
e panels are difficult, especially under in-plane compression, because
of the presence of snap-back with a steep negative slope beyond the b
ifurcation point. In this study, the pre- and postbuckling response of
curved laminated panels with cutouts is investigated by developing a
new finite element based on the free formulation. This triangular, fla
t, shell element, in conjunction with the updated Lagrangian form of t
he co-rotational approach, accounts for the coupling terms arising fro
m general material anisotropy, as well as large displacements and rota
tions. The analysis predictions correlate well with the corresponding
experimental data available in the literature. Review of the studies i
n this subject area reveal that none of the available methods, includi
ng the STAGS-C1 finite element program, is capable of providing the fu
ll description of the postbuckling phenomenon beyond bifurcation for c
urved composite panels with small cutouts.