Postbuckling of multilayered composite plates subjected to combined axial and thermal loads

A study is made of the postbuckling response of composite plates subjected to combined axial and thermal loadings. The analysis is based on a first-order shear deformation, von Karman type of nonlinear plate theory. A mixed formulation is used with the fundamental unknowns consisting of the generalized displacements and the stress resultants of the plate. An efficient reduction method is used in conjunction with mixed finite element models for determining the stability boundary and the postbuckling response of the plate. Sensitivity derivatives are evaluated and used to study the sensitivity of the postbuckling response to variations in the different lamination and material parameters of the plate. For quasi-isotropic plates, numerical results are presented showing the effects of variations in the material characteristics and fiber orientation of individual layers on the postbuckling response of the plate.