Assessment of the refined sinus model for the non-linear analysis of composite beams

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to evaluate a new three-noded mechanical beam finite element for the non-linear analysis of laminated beams. It is based on a sinus distribution with layer refinement. The transverse shear strain is obtained by using a cosine function avoid-ing the use of shear correction factors. This kinematic accounts for the interlaminar continuity conditions on the interfaces between lay-ers, and the boundary conditions on the upper and lower surfaces of the beam. A conforming FE approach is carried out using Lagrange and Hermite interpolations. It is important to notice that the number of unknowns is independent from the number of layers. Buckling, post-buckling, and non-linear bending tests are presented in order to compare with the ones available in the literature or based on a 2D analysis. The influence of mesh, boundary conditions, length-to-thickness ratios and lay-ups is studied to show the accu-racy and the efficiency of this finite element.