Interval Analysis Method on the Buckling of Composite Laminate

A method named interval analysis method, which solves the buckling load of composite laminate with uncertainties, is presented. Based on interval mathematics and Taylor series expansion, the interval analysis method is used to deal with uncertainties. Not necessarily knowing the probabilistic statistics characteristics of the uncertain variables, only little information on physical properties of material is needed in the interval analysis method, that is, the upper bound and lower bound of the uncertain variable. So the interval of response of the structure can be gotten through less computational efforts. The interval analysis method is efficient under the condition that probability approach cannot work well because of small samples and deficient statistics characteristics. For buckling load of a special cross-ply laminates and antisymmetric angle-ply laminates with all edges simply supported, calculations and comparisons between interval analysis method and probability method are performed.