Abstract
This work deals with the study of buckling and post buckling characteristics of laminated composite plates with and without localized regions of damage. The need of a detailed study on Finite Element Analysis of buckling and post buckling of laminated composite structures considering various aspects enhances the interest among researchers. Mathematical formulation is developed for damaged composite plates using a finite element technique based on Inverse Hyperbolic Shear Deformation Theory. This theory satisfies zero transverse shear stresses conditions at the top and bottom surfaces of the plate and provides a non-linear transverse shear stress distribution. Damage modeling is done using an anisotropic damage formulation, which is based on the concept of stiffness change. The structural elements are subjected to in-plane loading. The computer program is developed in MATLAB environment. The numerical results are presented after through validation of developed finite element code. The effect of damage on buckling and post buckling has been carried out for various parameters such as amount of percentage of damaged area, damage intensity, etc. The results show that the presence of internal flaws will significantly affect the buckling characteristics of laminated composite plates. The outcomes and remarks from this work will assist to address some key issues concerning composite structures.