Assessment of different RPIM parameters for static analyses of shear deformable laminated composite plates

Different radial point interpolation method (RPIM) parameters using multi-quadratic basis functions are investigated in order to show their influence on the accuracy of the results and on the necessary computation time. Static deflection analyses of shear deformable laminated composites plates using a higher order shear deformable theory are performed for these purposes. The problem domain is represented by regularly distributed nodes, and a variational formulation is used to derive the discrete system of equations which is based on the third order plate theory suggested by Reddy. The essential boundary conditions are imposed separately, as in the FEM, by means of the penalty method since the RPIM shape functions possess the Kronecker delta function property. The Gauss quadrature scheme is used to perform the integration over the cells and the layers numerically.