• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.84 no.6
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• pp.707-722
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• 2022

In this study, a new refined hyperbolic shear deformation theory (RHSDT) is developed using an equivalent single-layer shell displacement model for the static bending and free vibration response of cross-ply laminated composite spherical shells. It is based on a new kinematic in which the transverse displacement is approximated as a sum of the bending and shear components, leading to a reduction of the number of unknown functions and governing equations. The proposed theory uses the hyperbolic shape function to account for an appropriate distribution of the transverse shear strains through the thickness and satisfies the boundary conditions on the shell surfaces without requiring any shear correction factors. The shell governing equations for this study are derived in terms of displacement from Hamilton's principle and solved via a Navier-type analytical procedure. The validity and high accuracy of the present theory are ascertained by comparing the obtained numerical results of displacements, stresses, and natural frequencies with their counterparts generated by some higher-order shear deformation theories. Further, a parametric study examines in detail the effect of both geometrical parameters (i.e., side-to-thickness ratio and curvature-radius-to-side ratio), on the bending and free vibration response of simply supported laminated spherical shells, which can be very useful for many modern engineering applications and their optimization design.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.185-201
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• 2020

This research is devoted to investigate the bending and free vibration behaviour of laminated composite/sandwich plates and shells, by applying an analytical model based on a generalized and simple refined higher-order shear deformation theory (RHSDT) with four independent unknown variables. The kinematics of the proposed theoretical model is defined by an undetermined integral component and uses the hyperbolic shape function to include the effects of the transverse shear stresses through the plate/shell thickness; hence a shear correction factor is not required. The governing differential equations and associated boundary conditions are derived by employing the principle of virtual work and solved via Navier-type analytical procedure. To verify the validity and applicability of the present refined theory, some numerical results related to displacements, stresses and fundamental frequencies of simply supported laminated composite/sandwich plates and shells are presented and compared with those obtained by other shear deformation models considered in this paper. From the analysis, it can be concluded that the kinematics based on the undetermined integral component is very efficient, and its use leads to reach higher accuracy than conventional models in the study of laminated plates and shells.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1493-1515
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• 2015

A new refined hyperbolic shear deformation theory (RHSDT), which involves only four unknown functions as against five in case of other shear deformation theories, is presented for the thermoelastic bending analysis of functionally graded sandwich plates. Unlike any other theory, the number of unknown functions involved is only four, as against five in case of other shear deformation theories. The theory presented is variationally consistent, does not require shear correction factor, and gives rise to transverse shear stress variation such that the transverse shear stresses vary parabolically across the thickness satisfying shear stress free surface conditions. The sandwich plate faces are assumed to have isotropic, two-constituent material distribution through the thickness, and the modulus of elasticity, Poisson's ratio of the faces, and thermal expansion coefficients are assumed to vary according to a power law distribution in terms of the volume fractions of the constituents. The core layer is still homogeneous and made of an isotropic ceramic material. Several kinds of sandwich plates are used taking into account the symmetry of the plate and the thickness of each layer. The influences played by the transverse shear deformation, thermal load, plate aspect ratio and volume fraction distribution are studied. Numerical results for deflections and stresses of functionally graded metal-ceramic plates are investigated. It can be concluded that the proposed theory is accurate and simple in solving the thermoelastic bending behavior of functionally graded plates.