Buckling behavior of laminated metal-matrix composite with central square holes under biaxial loading

The buckling effects of laminated metal-matrix composite (MMC) plates with central square holes were analyzed under compressive biaxial loading using finite element analysis code I-DEAS. The MMC plates displayed some interesting buckling patterns and initial buckling shapes when subjected to different combinations of hole sizes and edges boundary conditions. In the case of anti-symmetric, free-free boundary conditions, the MMC plates with central square holes resist external buckling loads significantly higher as the hole sizes increased. Two laminated stacking sequences [90/0/0/90]2 and [45/-45/-45/45] 2 were used in this study. For the same hole size, plate aspect ratio, and boundary conditions, the results showed that the critical buckling behaviors of the plates were primarily affected by the edges boundary conditions rather than by the lamination stacking sequences. The overall critical buckling patterns indicated the plate's capability to resist external loads were higher in the case of clamped boundary conditions than that of simply supported boundary conditions by a ratio of 2 to 1.