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The development of efficient computational models for the accurate prediction of the state variables in general composite laminated shells undergoing uniform edge loadings is a major challenge, especially when stress concentration phenomena such as the free‐edge effect have to be considered. This paper addresses this issue by introducing a higher‐order semi‐analytical approach for the assessment of the three‐dimensional stress field in circular cylindrical composite shells with arbitrary layups subjected to a uniform bending moment. The presented semi‐analytical approach combines a closed‐form analytical plane‐strain solution with a higher‐order layerwise approach, and the governing equations are derived by virtue of the principle of minimum elastic potential. The resulting system of coupled ordinary differential equations is then solved by means of the state‐space approach and the free constants are determined by evaluating the boundary conditions at the traction‐free edges. A comparison of the numerical results of the presented semi‐analytical method with finite element simulations for various composite laminates indicates that the developed method works with high accuracy, although being extremely efficient in terms of computational resources.

Special Issue: 92nd Annual Meeting of the International Association of Applied Mathematics and Mechanics (GAMM)