Review of Laminated Composite Plate Theories, with Emphasis on Variational Asymptotic Method

Abstract

Most of the engineering structures are built using beams, plates, and shells as the structural elements, and in recent times using laminated composite structures is increasing drastically. The accurate analysis of laminated plate structures is an important responsibility; to this end, there are different ordered theories developed by the research community. The variational asymptotic method developed in a mathematically rigorous method practiced by Prof. Hodges and group to analyze laminated structures promises the accurate analysis. A review of the variational asymptotic method employed in the analysis of laminated plate structures is presented in this paper, along with the brief review on other plate theories. The solution strategies employed by the different plate theories are briefly reviewed. A flow chart or tree structure on different plate theories and different solution strategies are presented as a quick reference for the researchers. The possible research areas or problems to be addressed using the variational asymptotic method in conjunction with different solution strategies are briefly mentioned.