Paper number 158

DESIGN METHODOLOGY FOR BUCKLING OF THIN-WALLED LAMINATED COMPOSITE BEAMS

Lawrence W. Rehfield and Ulrich Mueller

Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering
University of California, Davis California 95616, USA

Summary

Thin-walled open section beams are extensively used in many structural engineering applications, and these structural elements are currently being made of composite materials. In addition to weight saving and relative freedom from corrosion and fatigue, composite materials permit designs with fewer parts and fasteners, which tends to reduce total costs and promotes maintainability and readiness. Column design curves are presented for composite beams with channel cross sections. The results show buckling by pure bending and by bending- torsion coupled modes can occur and that transition among modes are governed by structural parameters.

Keywords

Composite beams, buckling, design.