Influence of employing laminated isogrid configuration on mechanical behavior of grid structures

For a long time, a single grid layer, such as isogrid, have been utilized to strengthen a shell or plate or as an independent structural member for various applications. Laminated grid structures consist of several grid layers that can have different in-plane orientations or can be made from different materials. Therefore, using laminated configuration instead of conventional grids yields to an extensive variety of configurations with different coupling effects and cost. In the current paper, to evaluate the appropriateness of laminated isogrids, the vibration and stability behaviors of a conventional isogrid are compared with corresponding laminated isogrid plate. The first-order shear deformation plate theory as well as the Ritz theorem is utilized to achieve the critical buckling loads and free vibration frequencies of the plates. The influence of increasing the number of isogrid plies and changing pattern geometries on mechanical behaviors of the laminated isogrid plate is also investigated. The results imply that utilization of the laminated isogrids remarkably enhances the buckling load and free vibration frequency values of the plates.