Three-dimensional buckling analysis of variable angle tow composite laminated plates

This paper presents three-dimensional solutions for the buckling of variable angle tow (VAT) composite laminated plates. The p-version finite element with hierarchical basis functions is adopted to determine the buckling of VAT composite laminates with different parameters. Inter-element compatibility is achieved by matching the generalized displacements at the vertices, edges, and faces shared by neighboring elements. The buckling loads of symmetrical and anti-symmetrical laminates with various boundary conditions are obtained. A convergence study is performed and the accuracy of the method is confirmed by comparing the numerical results with those in the literatures. The verified results indicate that the present 3D p-FEM method is accurate for the buckling analysis of VAT composite laminated plates, and that these three-dimensional results may serve as a benchmark for future studies.