The focus of this review is on the hierarchy of computational models for sandwich plates and shells, predictor-corrector procedures, and the sensitivity of the sandwich response to variations in the different geometric and material parameters. The literature reviewed is devoted to the following application areas: heat transfer problems; thermal and mechanical stresses (including boundary layer and edge stresses); free vibrations and damping; transient dynamic response; bifurcation buckling, local buckling, face-sheet wrinkling and core crimping; large deflection and postbuckling problems; effects of discontinuities (eg, cutouts and stiffeners), and geometric changes (eg, tapered thickness); damage and failure of sandwich structures; experimental studies; optimization and design studies. Over 800 relevant references are cited in this review, and another 559 references are included in a supplemental bibliography for completeness. Extensive numerical results are presented for thermally stressed sandwich panels with composite face sheets showing the effects of variation in their geometric and material parameters on the accuracy of the free vibration response, and the sensitivity coefficients predicted by eight different modeling approaches (based on two-dimensional theories). The standard of comparison is taken to be the analytic three-dimensional thermoelasticity solutions. Some future directions for research on the modeling of sandwich plates and shells are outlined.

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A review is made of the different approaches used for modeling multilayered composite plates. Discussion focuses on different approaches for developing two-dimensional shear deformation theories; classification of two-dimensional theories based on introducing plausible displacement, strain and/or stress assumptions in the thickness direction; and first-order shear deformation theories based on linear displacement assumptions in the thickness coordinate. Extensive numerical results are presented showing the effects of variation in the lamination and geometric parameters of simply supported composite plates on the accuracy of the static and vibrational responses predicted by six different modeling approaches (based on two-dimensional shear deformation theories). The standard of comparison is taken to be the exact three-dimensional elasticity solutions. Some of the future directions for research on the modeling of multilayered composite plates are outlined.

The status and some recent developments in computational modeling of flexible multibody systems are summarized. Discussion focuses on a number of aspects of flexible multibody dynamics including: modeling of the flexible components, constraint modeling, solution techniques, control strategies, coupled problems, design, and experimental studies. The characteristics of the three types of reference frames used in modeling flexible multibody systems, namely, floating frame, corotational frame, and inertial frame, are compared. Future directions of research are identified. These include new applications such as micro- and nano-mechanical systems; techniques and strategies for increasing the fidelity and computational efficiency of the models; and tools that can improve the design process of flexible multibody systems. This review article cites 877 references.