Differential quadrature element method for static analysis of shear deformable cross-ply laminates

In this paper, the two-dimensional di!erential quadrature element method (DQEM) is developed for the static analysis of symmetric cross-ply laminates using the "rst-order shear deformation plate theory. In this study, the laminated plate, which may contain di!erent discontinuities in loading, geometry, material, and boundary conditions, is "rst divided into several simple plate elements and then the di!erential quadrature method (DQM) is applied to each simple element. Compatibility conditions are derived to connect the plate elements so that the overall matrix equation system for the whole plate is obtained and solved. The reliability of the DQEM for solving the titled problems is examined carefully through convergence and accuracy studies and "nally some numerical test examples are given to demonstrate the applicability and #exibility of this method for practical use. The methodology presented here has overcome some critical drawbacks of the global DQM but is di!erent from the Quadrature Element Method (QEM) since only one grid point is employed to represent the interface point