Large deflection analysis of bimodulus annular and circular plates using finite elements

In the present paper, the finite element method is used to solve the large-deflection bending problem of annular and circular bimodulus plates. The material model suggested by Jones is adopted to represent the bilinear stress-strain relations of bimodulus material. The resulting nonlinear equations are solved, using the Newton-Raphson iterative procedure. In the case of bimodulus composite structures, at any point, the position of neutral axis is a function of the state of stress at that point and is evaluated following iterative procedures. Numerical work has been done for two different types of boundary conditions, viz. clamped and simply supported cases. The results have been compared for particular cases and they are presented in the form of graphs and tables. © 1989.