A shear-deformable beam element for the analysis of laminated composites

A 21 degree-of-freedom element, based on the FSDT, is derived to study the response of unsymmetrically laminated composite structures subject to both static and dynamic problems. In the FSDT model used here we have employed an accurate model to obtain the transverse shear correction factor. The dynamic version of the principle of virtual work for laminated composites is expressed in its nondimensional form and the element tangent stiffness and mass matrices are obtained using analytical integration. The element consists of four equally spaced nodes and a node at the middle. The results for the one-dimensional case are within 5% when compared to equivalent one and two-dimensional problems of static loading, free vibrations and buckling loads.