Post-buckling analysis of shear-deformable composite beams using a novel simple two-unknown beam theory

In this paper, an exact analytical solution is developed for the analysis of the post-buckling non-linear response of simply supported deformable symmetric composite beams. For this, a new theory of higher order shear deformation is used for the analysis of composite beams in post-buckling. Unlike any other shear deformation beam theories, the number of functions unknown in the present theory is only two as the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory, while three unknowns are needed in the case of the other beam theories. The theory presents a parabolic distribution of transverse shear stresses, which satisfies the nullity conditions on both sides of the beam without a shear correction factor. The shear effect has a significant contribution to buckling and post-buckling behaviour. The results of this analysis show that classical and first-order theories underestimate the amplitude of the buckling whereas all the theories considered in this study give results very close to the static response of post-buckling. The numerical results obtained with the novel theory are not only much more accurate than those obtained using the EulerBernoulli theory but are almost comparable to those obtained using higher order theories, Accuracy and effectiveness of the current theory.