Estimation of shear correction factors for laminated composite plates using variational asymptotic method

Abstract

This work presents a novel method for efficiently and accurately computing shear correction factors (SCFs) in laminated composite plates. The present approach utilizes the variational asymptotic method (VAM) to derive a reduced-order plate model, providing analytical expressions for transverse shear strains in terms of 2D variables (functions of in-plane coordinates only). By matching the transverse shear forces and strain energies from VAM to those from the classical first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) with SCFs, we extract the SCFs without cumbersome numerical evaluations. This method offers several advantages over traditional techniques: it is asymptotically accurate, computationally efficient, and provides insights into the influence of individual lamina thickness and lay-up sequence on SCFs. The presented approach can be extended to analyze the impact of other parameters such as boundary conditions and loading opening a scope for future investigations.