Abstract: A new multilayer shell element with relative degrees-of-freedom (DOF) was developed for modelinglaminated composite shells of ten used in aerospace st ructures. With this solid-type shell element, satisfactory resolution can be ensured even if a relatively coarse FE mesh is employed, and this element can be easily connected withother solid type element s. All of these features enable it s promising application in the simulation of modern composite st ructures, even if with varying thickness or complicated joint part s. For the buckling analysis of large-scaleaerospace composite laminated st ructures, a computational st rategy that combines the rotationally periodic FEmethod and this new shell element is implemented successfully. The numerical examples show the efficiency andaccuracy of the proposed computational strategy.