Dynamic snap-through response of composite plates using the finite element modal reduction method

This paper presents a time-domain modal formulation using the finite element method for large-amplitude snap-through vibration of generally laminated thin composite rectangular plates. The highly nonlinear responses of dynamic snap-through motion can be predicted. There are three types of vibration observed from the results: 1) small oscillation about the buckled position, 2) chaotic motion of intermittent snap-through and 3) large oscillation of snap-through motion crossing the two buckled positions. It should be noted that this study give the first finite element analysis of the chaotic motion of thermally buckled plates as most of the previous work were confined to analytical solution of beams only.