Non-linear deflection and stress analysis of laminated composite sandwich plate with elliptical cutout under different transverse loadings in hygro-thermal environment

Abstract

In this paper, non-linear transverse deflection, stress and stress concentration factors (SCF) of isotropic and laminated composite sandwich plate (LCSP) with and without elliptical cutouts subjected to various trans-verse loadings in hygrothermal environment are studied. The basic formulation is based on secant function-based shear deformation theory (SFSDT) with von-Karman nonlinearity. The governing equation of non-linear deflection is derived using C0 finite element method (FEM) through minimum potential energy approach. Normalized trans-verse maximum deflections (NTMD) along with stress concentration factor is determined by using Newton's Raphson method through Gauss point stress extrapolation. Influence of fiber orientations, load parameters, fiber volume fractions, plate span to thickness ratios, aspect ratios, thickness of core and face, position of core, boundary conditions, environmental conditions and types of transverse loading in MATLAB R2015a environment are examined. The numerical results using present solution methodology are verified with the results available in the literatures.