J. Loughlan, The influence of bend-twist coupling on the shear buckling response of thin laminated composite plates, THIN WALL S, 34(2), 1999, pp. 97-114
The finite strip method of analysis has been used in this paper to examine
the effect of bend-twist coupling on the shear buckling behaviour of lamina
ted composite constructions. The distorted nodal lines of the shear bucklin
g mode and its complex deformation state in general are readily accounted f
or in the analysis procedure through the multi-term nature of the finite st
rip buckling displacement field and the appropriate level of structural mod
elling. The degree of bend-twist coupling in the laminated composite plates
is varied by changing the level of anisotropy in the plies and by altering
the lay-up configuration of the plies in the laminated stack. Symmetric la
minates of a balanced and unbalanced nature are given consideration. It is
shown that, for a given degree of anisotropy in the plies of a laminate and
for a given laminate thickness, the stacking sequence of the plies signifi
cantly alters the degree of bend-twist coupling. The shear buckling perform
ance of composite plates having the same dimensions and being made from the
same material are therefore shown in the paper to be quite different. The
preclusion of the bend-twist coupling coefficients in the solution procedur
e of the finite strip method allows the sheer buckling orthotropic solution
to be determined. Comparisons between the coupled and orthotropic solution
s are shown in the paper to be markedly different. (C) 1999 Elsevier Scienc
e Ltd. All rights reserved.