Delamination buckling for composite laminated cylindrical shells in Hamilton system

Abstract

In this article, a semi-analytical three-dimensional model based on the modified Hellinger–Reissner (H–R) variational principle and a nonlinear spring-layer model are presented for the buckling analysis of composite laminated cylindrical shells with a delamination. The method allows the effect of transverse shear deformation in the control equations of the composite laminated structures. In addition, it uses a two-dimensional mesh and can ensure that the number of variables is independent of the layer number. The nonlinear spring-layer model between the exterior and interior sub-laminates ensures the continuity of transverse stresses and displacements in the undelaminated region by specifying infinite values of springs and therefore avoids the possibility of material penetration phenomenon in the delaminated region. As an application of the present method, the influence of the delamination length on the critical buckling loads of delaminated composite laminated stiffened cylindrical shells is investigated.