Conforming and nonconforming laminated finite element Kirchhoff nanoplates in bending using strain gradient theory

This paper presents a comprehensive numerical finite element implementation of the nonlocal strain gradient theory applied to thin laminated composite nanoplates using Kirchhoff theory (known as Classical Laminated Plate Theory or CLPT). Hermite interpolation functions are used to approximate membrane and bending degrees of freedom according to the conforming and nonconforming approaches. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, there is no finite...