Efficient Failure Analysis of Laminated Composites and Sandwich Cylindrical Shells Based on Higher-Order Zigzag Theory

Abstract

AbstractAn efficient failure analysis of laminated composite and sandwich cylindrical shell is done for the first time using an efficient C0 finite-element (FE) model based on higher-order zigzag theory (HOZT). The FE implementation based on HOZT to study the failure of composite and sandwich shells incorporating all three radii of curvature is presented. The proposed two-dimensional (2D) FE model satisfies the interlaminar shear stress continuity at the layer interfaces and also ensures zero transverse shear stress conditions at the shell top and bottom. The problem of C1 continuity associated with the HOZT is circumvented by using an appropriate C0 FE formulation. The piecewise parabolic shear stress variation across thickness of each layer is considered and hence, shear deformation is accurately modeled for composites and sandwich shells. The failure load results for laminated composite and sandwich shells obtained by using the present 2D FE model are quite close to the 3D elasticity results. Many new ...