BUCKLING ANALYSIS OF GENERAL COMPOSITE LAMINATES BY HYBRID-STRESS FINITE-ELEMENT METHOD

Without using the composite shear correction factors, an assumed hybrid-stress finite element model together with a composite multilayer element are developed to study the buckling of generally laminated composite plates with arbitrary thickness and edge conditions under an in-plane stress system. The assumed stress field satisfies 1) the equilibrium conditions within each layer, 2) the interlaminar traction reciprocity conditions, and 3) stress-free boundary conditions on the top and bottom surfaces of the laminate. The initial-stress stiffness matrix for buckling analysis is constructed by the stresses obtained from three-dimensional interlaminar stress analysis. Some numerical examples are carried out. The buckling mode shapes for various edge conditions are also demonstrated. Excellent agreements between the present results and referenced solutions show the high accuracy and validity of the present technique.