Hello,
i am an undergraduate mechanical engineering student & currently working on a project which involves finite element modeling & torsion analysis of a composite material based thin cylindrical tube.
As a part of coursework, i am well familiar with the Classical lamination theory (CLT) of macromechanics of laminates.
The problems i am facing in initiating my work are :
1. I am not sure that CLT (for laminated plates) will be equally justifiable for macromechanics of laminated shells as well? (or do i have to proceed for mathematical modelling using the shell theory?)
2. If i don't consider the mathematical modeling of the mechanics of laminate shell under my design load & proceed with FE based modeling in software only; then how should i start? should i model & mesh whole of the cylinder or i model only a representative volume element (RVE) only? (considering me at the beginner level of FE software user)
thank you