Refined shear deformation theory of laminated shells

This paper analyzes the effect of shear deformation in thick laminated anisotropic shells using a mixed formulation based on the functional proposed by Jing and Liao. The displacement field uses a zigzag function in addition to the Reissner-Mindlin type in-plane displacements and a constant transverse deflection. The effect of transverse shear deformation is included through an independently assumed transverse shear stress field. The initial curvature effect is included in the strain-displacement relations, stress resultants, and the assumed shear stress field