Effects of Elastic Couplings in a Compressed Plate Element with Cut-Out

Abstract

Analytical calculations were performed on carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates in an asymmetrical configuration. The asymmetric configuration of composites was investigated, where extension–twisting and extension–bending couplings were used to obtain the elastic element. Analysis of the presence of elastic couplings was conducted according to Classical Laminate Theory (CLT). Components of matrices A, B, and D, as well as the parameters Dc and Bt, were obtained using the MATLAB software environment. The results show that couplings between the extension and bending, as well as between the extension and twisting, were strongly dependent on specimen plies’ orientation. Moreover, additional analysis was performed on the influence of layer angle on the terms which are components of the Bt and Dc coefficients. The results indicate that the angle of laying fibers around 45–50° significantly amplifies the effects of elastic couplings.