A REVIEW OF FINITE ELEMENT TECHNIQUES IN LAMINATED PLATES AND SHELLS

This paper oomp:ehensively reviewed a variety of finite elements used in current analysis of laminted composite plates and shells. Of these kinds of elements, Mindlin-type elements are most frequently used to laminated plates and shells.Mindlin-type elements are suitable not only for classical thin and moderately thick plates and shells but also for linear and nonlinear problems of composites.As the ratio of thickness to span of the plate and/or shell increases,however,so-called ‘lockiug' becomes noticeable.Some resolving procedures have been proposed herein.Finally,the paper discussed the advantages and disadvaantages of assumed stress hybrid elements in the application to laminated composite structure analysis.