Nonlinear flutter of composite laminated panels with local non-smooth friction boundaries

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the numerical analysis of nonlinear flutter of composite laminated panels with local non-smooth friction interfaces and exposed to supersonic airflow. The Reddy’s third-order shear deformation plate theory with zig-zag effects and the nonlinear von Kármán strains are employed to formulate the structural model of the panel. A series of macro-slip friction models are adopted to impose the friction boundaries, which can describe the non-smooth characteristics of the friction interface. The discretized governing equations of motion of the panel with non-smooth friction boundary are established using the nonlinear finite element method. The effects of the physical parameters of the friction interface including the normal force, the coefficient of friction and the length of the friction interface, on the flutter behaviors of the laminated panel are examined. It is found that the critical flutter dynamic pressure of the panel may increase due to the constraints of the friction boundary. As the dynamic pressure increases, an abrupt variation in the flutter response of the panel may appear due to the coexistence of the stick and slip motions of the friction interface. In addition, the friction boundary has little effects on the location of the maximum deformation of the panel.