Analysis of composite beams with longitudinal and transverse partial interactions using higher order beam theory

A new one dimensional finite element model based on a higher order beam theory is presented for the analysis of composite beams taking into account the effect of longitudinal as well as vertical partial interaction between the adjacent layers. The proposed method models the transverse shear deformation of the beam components in a refined manner. A third order variation of the axial displacement of the fibres over the beam depth is taken to have a parabolic variation of shear stress which is also made zero at the beam top and bottom surfaces. In the proposed FE model, there is no need of incorporating any shear correction factor and the model is free from shear locking problem. In addition to correctly predicting the global responses of the beam, the model can predict better distribution of stresses than the existing models based on Euler-Bernoulli or Timoshenko beam theory. Many new results are presented as there is no published result on the present problem based on higher order beam theory. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.