Abstract: The present paper investigates nonlinear behavior of arbitrary layered compolite rectangular plates under combined uniform lateral and in-plane loading.Governing equations of the plates are referred as a pair of coupled partial differential equations of fourth order. After the basic variables,deflection function and force function,are both represented in the form of series of certain beam characteristic functions,the overninn equations are reduced to a set of nonlinear algebraic equations.The emphasis of the present investigation is put on the effect of the direction of applied shear on the bending beh aviour of the plates.