Finite element static, dynamic, and flutter analysis of rotating composite layered plates and shells

This thesis introduces new conforming and non-conforming finite elements for the static and dynamic analysis of rotating composite layered plates and shells. The elements consider parabolic distributions of transverse shear stresses, and based on Lagrangian and Hermitian shape functions. They can deal with variable thickness distributions as well as uniform distributions, and they are fully capable to deal with rotating plate and shell structures, i. e. centrifugal stiffening and Coriolis force effects are considered. Natural frequency analysis, forced vibration analysis, and flutter analysis of composite layered plate and shell structures, employing those elements, have been investigated. A computer programming package based on the developed theory was designed, and it is machine independent and user friendly. A modular approach was adopted in the package structure to allow any further development to be considered. Efficient frontal solvers were adopted in the package for different types of analysis. The developed package has been successfully validated on a main frame computer (VAX), Unix workstations, and personal computers. Several case studies were investigated and the results obtained were compared with corresponding, published theoretical and/or experimental work. The package has proved to be a very useful tool for the design optimization of composite layered plates and shells by means of using different fibre angles for different layers so as to achieve the required strength and/or stiffness.