Nonlinear analysis of panel flutter of curved orthotropic plates

This study presents a comprehensive nonlinear analysis of panel flutter for curved orthotropic plates using von Karman’s large deflection theory and the Bubnov–Galerkin method. The research investigates the effects of various parameters including fiber orientation angles, curvature in longitudinal and transverse directions, aspect ratios, static pressure differentials, and in-plane forces on the flutter boundaries of composite plates. The aerodynamic loading is modeled using piston theory, and flutter boundaries are determined through time integration methods. Verification studies show excellent agreement with existing literature for both simply supported and clamped boundary conditions. Results demonstrate that fiber orientation angle significantly affects flutter speed, with smaller angles providing higher flutter boundaries. Curvature effects become prominent when <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi>H</mml:mi> <mml:mo>/</mml:mo> <mml:mi>h</mml:mi> <mml:mo>&gt;</mml:mo> <mml:mn>3</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> , and increased aspect ratios generally improve dynamic stability. The findings provide valuable design guidelines for aerospace engineers working with orthotropic composite panels in high-speed flow applications.