Finite Element Analysis of Composite Folded Plates with Elastically Restrained Edges

Abstract

The behavior of composite folded plate under transverse loading has been investigated in this paper. The effect of partial rigidity at the edges has also been studied by modelling the edges elastically restrained against both translation and rotation. The finite element method has been used to model the structure. The effect of shear deformation has been taken into account as composite is weak in shear. As there is no published results on composite folded plates, composite flat plate and isotropic folded plate have been analyzed and the results obtained have been compared with the available results to validate the present approach. Finally a new problem of composite folded plate has been solved for different plate thickness, ply arrangement and stiffness parameters for the elastically restrained edges.