Analysis of clamped unsymmetric cross-ply rectangular plates by superposition of simple exact double Fourier series solutions

Based on the idea developed in an earlier work on orthotropic rectangular plates [Compos. Struct. 63 (2004) 63], it is shown here that exact double Fourier series solutions can be easily obtained for simply supported rectangular unsymmetrically laminated cross-ply plates subjected to various edge forces and moments, and that these can be superposed to yield a simple solution for the title problem considered difficult hitherto. Numerical results, based on the summation of the infinite series without truncation using MATLAB, are presented for a set of symmetric and antisymmetric cross-ply laminates under uniform and central concentrated loads.