Nonlinear Analysis of Stiffened Laminated Panels with Various Boundary Conditions

A nonlinear analysis of stiffened laminated composite panels under various boundary conditions is presented. The nonlinear differential equations, expressed in terms of the out-of-plane displacement and the Airy stress function, are solved by separating the variables into eigenfunctions in conjunction with a finite-difference scheme. The vibration and buckling eigenfunctions of an isotropic beam are examined as the displacement functions, and a modified Galerkin procedure are used to minimize the error involved in the field equations, the continuity requirements and the boundary conditions. Results are presented for the isotropic and anisotropic cases, with different boundary conditions.