Effective widths of compression-loaded of perforated cross-ply laminated composites

In this study the influence of eccentric circular cutouts on the prebuckling and postbuckling stiffness, and effective widths of compression loaded laminated composite plates are presented. The effective-widths concept is derived based on nonlinear finite element analysis for the plates with and without cutout. Several behavioral trends are described that initially appear to be nonintuitive. The results demonstrate a complex interaction between cutout size and the degree of plate orthotropy that affects the axial stiffness and effective width of plate subjected to compression loads. Also these investigations show that the cutout dimension have a more considerable effect on prebuckling stiffness compare to postbuckling one. It will show that the stiffness ratio of the postbuckling over prebuckling is increased by cutout size. Considering the effective-width ratios concept provide a simple means for incorporating the postbuckling strength and stiffness of plate subcomponents into the design of stiffened structures.