Stiffened plate bending analysis in terms of refined triangular laminated plate element

Abstract Based on the higher-order global–local theories, a finite element model is proposed to study the bending behavior of stiffened laminated plates. The proposed model treats the embedded stiffeners as the part of laminated plate, so that the compatibility of displacements and stresses between the plate and the stiffeners can be automatically satisfied. Distributions of the displacements and stresses through the thickness of laminates were also given for the first time, which can serve as references for future investigations as such information is lacking in the published literature. In addition, the impact of the stiffeners on the bending response of the stiffened laminated plates is also studied in terms of the quantity, the collocation and the geometry of stiffeners. Numerical results showed that the higher-order global–local theories are more suitable for predicting the bending response of thick and moderately thick stiffened laminated plates compared to the first order theory commonly used in engineering. By varying the quantity, the collocation and the geometry of stiffeners, the stiffness and the strength of stiffened laminated plates can be remarkably improved.