Abstract

Multilayered composite and sandwich structures are widely used in many engineering fields, including aerospace, marine, energy, automotive, etc. Combining different materials and their mechanical properties results in a material with enhanced properties, e.g. high strength-to-weight ratio, good fatigue resistance, corrosion resistance, and low thermal conductivity. However, the mechanical properties' differences generally lead to a more complex structural behaviour. Due to their intrinsic anisotropy and significant transverse shear deformability might cause catastrophic failures. The recently developed Refined Zigzag-based theories represent a valid numerical tool to address multilayered composite and sandwich structure responses. They generally assume the displacement field as the superposition of two main contributions: a global one able to describe the general laminate behaviour, and a local one characterized by a refined through-the-thickness description of the in-plane displacements. This last contribution is described by an appropriate set of zigzag functions characterized by partial enforcement of the transverse shear stress continuity at the layer interfaces. The enhanced-Refined Zigzag Theory (en-RZT) for beams and plates has shown remarkable accuracy in predicting displacement, strain and stress distributions, frequencies and buckling loads. Accurate and computationally efficient finite elements have been formulated and compared with other numerical models and 3D solutions. This work aims to present some recent advancements in the framework of the Refined Zigzag models for analyzing multilayered composite and sandwich structures, to highlight some numerical comparisons and future perspectives to enhance further the model predictivity of more complex lightweight structures, including multilayered structures with 3D printed components.