Bending analysis of composite folded plates by finite element method

In this paper a high precision composite plate bending element has been presented and its application to the analysis of isotropic and composite folded plates has been shown to study the performance of the element. In the present element the effect of shear deformation has been considered. Numerical examples have been solved by the proposed element and the results obtained in the forme of bending moment, in-plane force and deflection have been compared with the published results (where available) to show the potentially of the element. Number of new results have been presented, which are expected to the useful in future research. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.