An analytical model for the flexural response of a fiber reinforced plastic deck using higher-order shear deformable plate theory

An analytical model was developed to investigate the flexural behavior of a pultruded fiber reinforced plastic deck of rectangular unit module. The model is based on higher-order shear deformable plate theory (HSDT), and capable of predicting deflection of the deck with arbitrary laminate stacking sequences. To formulate the problem, two-dimensional plate finite element method is employed. Numerical results are obtained for FRP decks under uniformly-distributed loading, addressing the effects of fiber angle and span-to-height ratio. It is found that the present analytical model is accurate and efficient for solving flexural behavior of FRP decks. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.