Buckling of composite FRP structural plates using the complex finite strip method

A finite strip method is presented to predict local, distortional, and lateral buckling of composite fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) structural plates. Each plate may be subjected to a combination of longitudinal compression, longitudinal in-plane bending, or shear stress. A sinusoidal function is assumed in the longitudinal direction for a buckling mode of whatever type and a polynomial function is used in the transversal direction. The critical stress and critical moment of I-shape and box and channel sections under bending and uniform loading are obtained by solving an eigenvalue problem. Using this solution technique, a simple expression is developed for prediction of I-shape section beams’ buckling stresses in three design curves. The critical stresses for different Ex/EyEx/Ey values are calculated using the design curves.