Flexural analysis of thin-walled composite beams using shear-deformable beam theory

This paper presents a flexural analysis of I-shaped laminated composite beams. A general analytical model applicable to thin-walled I-section composite beams subjected to vertical load is developed. This model is based on the shear-deformable beam theory, and accounts for the flexural response of the thin-walled composites for arbitrary laminate stacking sequence configuration, i.e. unsymmetric as well as symmetric. Governing equations are derived from the principle of the stationary value of total potential energy. Numerical results are obtained for thin-walled composites under vertical loading, addressing the effects of fiber angle and span-to-height ratio of the composite beam.