Finite element analysis of composite folded plates with elastically restrained edges

The behavior of composite folded plate under transverse loading has been in vestigated in this paper. The effect of partial rigidity at the edges has a lso been studied by modelling the edges elastically restrained against both translation and rotation. The finite element method has been used to model the structure. The effect of shear deformation has been taken into account as composite is weak in shear. As there is no published results on composi te folded plates, composite flat plate and isotropic folded plate have been analyzed and the results obtained have been compared with the available re sults to validate the present approach. Finally a new problem of composite folded plate has been solved for different plate thickness, ply arrangement and stiffness parameters for the elastically restrained edges.