Abstract: This paper investigates the application of Dynamic-Relaxation (DR) method to the problems of nonlinear bending of rectangular plates laminated of bimodular composite materials. The classical lamination theory and a shear deformation theory of layered composite plates, taking account of large rotations (in the von Karman sense), are employed separately to analyze the subject.It has been found here that the estimation of the fictitious densities which control the convergence and numerical stability of nonlinear DR solution considering transverse shear effect still needs to be further investigated. In this paper, a procedure to calculate fictitious densities has been presented; hence the numerical stability of this topic has been ensured.In this paper the main steps of solving the nonlinear bending of bimodular composite laminates by means of DR method are outlined. The numerical results are given for simply supported, two-laver cross-ply rectangular plates made of mildly bimodular material (Boron-Epoxy (B-E)) and highly bimodular materials (Aramid-Rubber (A-R) and Polyester-Rubber (P-R)) under sinusoidally distributed and uniformly distributed transverse loads. The resells obtained have been compared with linear results and those; obtained for laminates fabricated from conventional composite materials, the elastic moduli of which are identical with the tensile moduli of the bimodular materials. In addition, the effect of transverse shear deformation on the nondimensionalized center deflection has been studied.

Key words: pseudo-potential function, vortex-potential function, curl, quasi-variational principle, boundary condition