Development of refined models for multilayered composite and sandwich structures: analytical formulation, FEM implementation and experimental assessment

Over the last three decades, composite materials have been increasingly used in different engineering field due to their high stiffness-to-weight and strength-to-weight ratios. Nowadays, relatively thick laminated composite and sandwich materials with one hundred or more layers find their applications in primary load-bearing structural components of the modern aircraft. To ensure a reliable design and failure prediction, accurate evaluation of the strain/stress state is mandatory. A high-fidelity analysis of multilayered composite and sandwich structures can be achieved by adopting detailed 3D finite element models that turn into a cumbersome modeling at high computational cost. Thus, most of the researchers efforts are devoted to the development of approximated models wherein assumptions on the distribution of displacements and/or stresses are made. In the ‘80s, thanks to the original works by Prof. Di Sciuva, a new modeling strategy of multilayered composite and sandwich structures arose: the so-called Zigzag theories, wherein accuracy comparable with that proper of the Layer-wise models is achieved but saving the computational cost. For accuracy, computational cost and efficient finite element implementation, the most remarkable Zigzag model, inspired by the Prof. Di Sciuva’s work, is the Refined Zigzag Theory. From its first appearance, the Refined Zigzag Theory has experienced several developments in terms of beam and plate finite element implementations and has been extensively assessed on static problems. The present research activity supports the great accuracy of the Refined Zigzag Theory and for this reason deals with some overlooked aspects, as the application to the functionally graded materials (Chapter 2), the mixed-field formulation (Chapter 3), the implementation of a beam finite element employing exact static shape functions (Chapter 5) and the correlation with experimental results (Chapter 8). By enriching the Refined Zigzag Theory and using the Reissner Mixed Variational Theorem, a novel higher-order mixed zigzag model is developed (Chapter 4). The higher-order zigzag model constitutes the underlying theory for a beam finite element, suitable for a thermo-mechanical analysis, and a plate element, formulated taking into account only mechanical loads. The results presented (Chapters 6-8), along with those already published in the open literature by other authors, still encourage the use of the Refined Zigzag Theory in the analysis of relatively thick multilayered composite and sandwich structures. Moreover, when the transverse normal stress and the transverse normal deformability effects are not negligible, the novel higher-order mixed zigzag model appears proficient to solve these cases in virtue also of its efficient finite element implementations. The author’s auspice is that the models belonging to the Refined Zigzag Theory class becomes to attract attention of the companies involved in the design and analysis of multilayered composite and sandwich structures and of the finite element commercial codes that still implemented models not suitable for the analysis of composite and sandwich structures, as extensively demonstrated.