Abstract – In aerospace structures, panels with variously shaped cutout are often used. The understanding of the effects of cutout on the buckling behavior of such plates has grown in importance with the increasing need for lightweight structures. The excellent mechanical properties of advanced composite materials make them prime candidates for a wide variety of application in aerospace and other branches of engineering. The correct and effective use of advanced composite materials requires a complex analysis in order to achieve good understanding of the system response characteristics to external causes. A finite element analysis, using commercial finite element software, is used to study the buckling behavior of plates with different central cutout. Particular emphasis is placed on flat square plates subjected to a uni-axial compression load. The main objective of this study is to demonstrate the buckling behavior of composite plates with central cutout. The effect of cutout geometry (circular, square, or triangular cutouts), cutout bluntness, and material properties are considered. In addition, the effect of fiber angle, stacking sequences, and cutout size are discussed.

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