Finite Strip Laminated Sandwich Roof Analysis

The finite strip method is extended and applied to the analysis of sandwich folded plate and cylindrical shell roofs supported on diaphragms. In addition to accounting for the transverse shear deformations in an orthotropic core, local bending and bending-membrane coupling effects in cross-ply laminated faces are considered. The formulation is presented in terms of the membrane, bending and coupling stiffnesses of the faces, and the transverse shear rigidities of the core. Displacements are approximated by assumed functions that satisfy the boundary conditions at the diaphragms and which provide the capability of imposing appropriate continuity conditions between adjacent strips. Sample results are presented for roofs with cross-ply laminated faces indicating the effects of bending-membrane coupling.