Accurate transverse stress evaluation in composite/sandwich thick laminates using a C 0 HSDT and a novel post-processing technique

• Published in: European journal of mechanics, A, Solids Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 46 - 53
• Main Authors: Bhar, A., Satsangi, S.K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Masson SAS 2011
• Subjects: C 0 HSDT; Composite/sandwich thick laminate; LSE post-processing; Transverse shear stress; Transverse shear stress; LSE post-processing; C 0 HSDT; Composite/sandwich thick laminate
• ISSN: 0997-7538; 1873-7285
• DOI: 10.1016/j.euromechsol.2010.09.003

An efficient method for accurate evaluation of through-the-thickness distribution of transverse stresses in thick composite and sandwich laminates, using a displacement-based C
0
higher-order shear deformation theory (HSDT), is presented. The technique involves a
least square of error (LSE) method applied to the 3D equilibrium equations at the post-processing phase, after a primary finite element analysis is performed using the HSDT. This is distinctly different from the conventional method of integrating the 3D equilibrium equations, for transverse stress recovery in composite laminates during post-processing. Competence of the technique is demonstrated in the numerical examples through comparison with results from
first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT), another HSDT and those from analytical and 3D elasticity solutions available in literature.