Accuracy of Strain Solution of a Laminated Composite Plate via Galerkin's Method

Abstract This paper deals with the detailed analysis and discussion of nonlinear static analysis of a laminated composite plate subjected to uniform pressure load. Governing equations of the plate are derived by the use of the virtual work principle. The geometric nonlinearity effects are taken into account with the von Kármán large deflection theory of thin plates. Approximate solutions for a simply supported plate are assumed for the plate domain. The single term approximation functions are selected by considering the nonlinear static deformations of plate. The solution is obtained using the Newmark method in MATLAB software. The plate is also modeled and analyzed using ANSYS software using SHELL91 elements. The variation of membrane, linear and nonlinear bending terms are obtained along a characteristic line on the plate and the numerical and finite element results are compared. The results are discussed in detail considering the nonlinear static behavior of the laminated composite plate and the main reasons of discrepancies are discussed. Dynamic behavior of the plate is explained considering the nonlinear static behavior.