Dynamic pulse buckling of rectangular composite plates

Abstract The elastic dynamic buckling of geometrically imperfect rectangular composite plates under a longitudinal compressive pulse is investigated. Specifically, the effects of fiber orientations of angle-ply laminated panels are studied. Geometric nonlinearities due to large deflections, as well as wave propagation effects due to inplane inertia terms, are included in the analysis. The applied load is either a force or displacement pulse. A numerical solution, through an explicit finite-difference integration scheme, is then developed. Appropriate dynamic buckling criteria are defined for both loading types, and buckling loads are determined for various loading durations and material lay-up configurations. It is found that the dynamic buckling loads are not always higher than the static ones; in some cases there is a range of loading frequencies near the fundamental frequency of the plate where dynamic buckling occurs for lower loads. Buckling under a displacement pulse occurs at a load higher than that for a force pulse of similar duration. Also, the critical axial displacement is not sensitive to the material configuration. Comparisons with results obtained through a finite-element analysis support the conclusions of the present analysis.