Variable-stiffness composite panels: Buckling and first-ply failure improvements over straight-fibre laminates

One of the primary advantages of using fibre-reinforced laminated composites in structural design is the ability to change the stiffness and strength properties of the laminate by designing the laminate stacking sequence in order to improve its performance. This procedure is typically referred to as laminate tailoring. Traditionally, tailoring is done by keeping the fibre orientation angle within each layer constant throughout a structural...