A Novel Exponential Zigzag Function Coupled High-order Beam Theory for Advanced Laminated Composite Analysis

Various industrial sectors require highly specialized and efficient materials for applications in fields such as the military, aeronautics, aerospace, and mechanical and civil engineering. Composite materials that meet the stringent requirements across these domains have become prominent, often serving as structural components and requiring precise mathematical modeling. Zigzag (ZZ) and Layerwise (LW) theories are commonly used for laminated-beam structural analysis. Although the LW theory provides superior accuracy, it suffers from an increase in unknowns as the number of layers grows. Conversely, the ZZ theory is less computationally intensive and less accurate. This study proposes an exponential high-order zigzag function with a unified kinematic formulation to enhance the accuracy of the ZZ theory. The results were compared with those of existing models and demonstrated excellent agreement with the reference solutions, irrespective of the layer count or slenderness index, making it a more efficient choice for laminated-beam analysis.