An Analytical Strip Method (ASM) for the analysis of stiffened and non-stiffened antisymmetric laminated composite plates is derived by considering the bending-extension coupling effect for bending, free vibration and buckling. A system of three equations of equilibrium, governing the general response of arbitrarily laminated composite plates, is reduced to a single eighth order partial differential equation in terms of a displacement function. The displacement function is solved in a single series form to determine the displacement, fundamental frequency, and buckling load of antisymmetric cross-ply and angle-ply laminated composite plates. The solution is applicable to rectangular plates with two opposite edges simply supported, while the other edges are simply supported, clamped, free, beam supported, or any combinations of these boundary conditions. This method overcomes the limitations of other analytical methods (Navier’s and Lévy’s), and provides an alternative to numerical, semi-numerical, and approximate methods of analysis. Numerical examples of bending, free vibration, and buckling of antisymmetric laminated composite plates are presented in tabular and graphical form. Whenever possible, the results of the present study are compared with those published in the literature and/or ANSYS solutions. The comparison firmly establishes that this method could be used for the analysis of antisymmetric laminated composite plates. Future research needs are identified for the aspects that have not been reached by the present study and others.

The Analytical Strip Method (ASM) for the analysis of thin cylindrical shells is presented in this dissertation. The system of three governing differential equations for the cylindrical shell are reduced to a single eighth order partial differential equation (PDE) in terms of a potential function. The PDE is solved as a single series form of the potential function, from which the displacement and force quantities are determined. The solution is applicable to isotropic, generally orthotropic, and laminated shells. Cylinders may have simply supported edges, clamped edges, free edges, or edges supported by isotropic beams. The cylindrical shell can be stiffened with isotropic beams in the circumferential direction placed anywhere along the length of the cylinder. The solution method can handle any combination of point loads, uniform loads, hydrostatic loads, sinusoidal loads, patch loads, and line loads applied in the radial direction. The results of the ASM are compared to results from existing analytical solutions and numerical solutions for several examples; the results for each of the methods were in good agreement. The ASM overcomes limitations of existing analytical solutions and provides an alternative to approximate numerical and semi-numerical methods.