Effect of trapezoidal shapes and non-uniform edge loads on buckling behaviour of plates with cutouts

Abstract

Crucial buckling loads of composite laminates are typically determined by employing analytical techniques based on the presumptions that the plates are susceptible to uniform edge loads, ignoring the fact that the practical assemblies are regularly exposed to different non-uniform edge loads. The current research paper is centered on the buckling behaviour of different patterns of trapezoidal composite laminates with cutouts under the application of non-uniform in-plane edge loads by employing finite element technique. To achieve this, the panel is discretized by using 9-noded heterosis plate element by employing the impact of shear deformation and rotary inertia. For a given load and the shape of panel, the stress concentration within the panel is highly non-uniform in nature. Hence, a dynamic approach has been employed to calculate the buckling loads. The accuracy of the method is verified by relating the obtained results with existent research. The impact of various variables including the size of the cutout, non-uniform edge loads, boundary conditions, ply alignments and panel trapezoidal shape ratio has been considered to examine the buckling behavior of trapezoidal panels. Buckling load factor optimization using CCD and RSM has also been carried out in detail.