Layerwise dynamic analysis of composite laminates with co-cured viscoelastic damping layers

The Co-curing of thin viscoelastic damping materials in the composite laminates can improve their structural damping with less loss of stiffness and strength. However, classic numerical simulation of the damped structures by using hybrid finite element method demands a cumbersome computational work, especially for complicated layered structures. A new 4-node quadrangular plate finite element based on the discrete layerwise plate theory was developed for dynamics analysis of composite laminates with co-cured viscoelastic layers. The natural frequencies and modal loss factors of different viscoelastic damped laminated beams, cylindrical shells and stiffened plates were derived. The results show that the proposed model can correctly describe the high shear pattern developed inside thin viscoelastic layers and provide results with less computational work.