Recent developments in finite element analysis for laminated composite plates

A review of the recent development of the finite element analysis for laminated composite plates from 1990 is presented in this paper. The literature review is devoted to the recently developed finite elements based on the various laminated plate theories for the free vibration and dynamics, buckling and postbuckling analysis, geometric nonlinearity and large deformation analysis, and failure and damage analysis of composite laminated plates. The material nonlinearity effects and thermal effects on the buckling and postbuckling analysis, the first-ply failure analysis and the failure and damage analysis were emphasized specially. The future research is summarised finally.