On the effectiveness of higher-order terms in layer-wise shell models

Refined layer-wise theories for shell and plate models are presented and discussed in this paper. Higher-order models are obtained through the Unified Formulation (UF) developed by the first author over the last decade. The effectiveness of each higher-order term is evaluated through the so-called mixed axiomatic/asympthotic approach (MAAA). MAAA has been recently developed and can be seen as a tool to build reduced refined models against full expansion theories. The development of reduced models is carried out through the investigation of the effectiveness of each unknown variable on the solution for a given problem. Reduced models are then built for various structural cases, such as thin and thick shells, layered shells and sandwiches. Results show the enhanced capabilities of MAAA and UF to develop refined layer-wise models with reduced computational costs.