Modeling and analysis of multilayer laminated plates

Abstract
A dynamic model for a multilayered laminated plate is developed. The laminated plate consists of 2n plate layers and 2n-1 adhesive layers. The layers (both plate and adhesive layers) are assumed to be homogeneous, transversely isotropic and perfectly bonded to one another. In the initial modeling, the Reissner-Mindlin theory of shear deformable plates is applied to each layer, resulting in a high-order plate theory in which the shear motions of the layers are completely independent. Simpler, lower-order models are obtained from the initial model from asymptotic limits based upon the assumptions that (i) the adhesive layers are very thin, (ii) the elastic modulii of the adhesive layers are small compared to those of the plate layers, (iii) the shear stiffnesses of the plate layers are very large.