On modeling of laminated composite structures featuring interlaminae imperfections

Abstract A theory of multilayered anisotropic plates featuring interlaminae imperfections in the form of interlayer slips is presented. The theory rests upon a representation of the displacement field which: i) fulfills a priori the transverse shear stress continuity conditions at each interface of the laminate and the free traction on the top and bottom external planes of the plate, ii) satisfies the requirement of continuous displacements at the perfectly bonded interfaces, and iii) allows for jumps in the in-plane displacements when slip-type interlayer imperfections are present. Numerical results illustrating their implications upon the linear and nonlinear static response of laminated plates are displayed and pertinent conclusions ar