This paper deals witU a new 48-degrees-of-freedom rectangular finite element for analysing moderately thick multilayered composite plates. The formulation is based on a kinematics which allows one to exactly ensure the continuity conditions for the displacements, and the transverse strsses at the interfaces between the layers of a laminated structure and zeros1lress conditiQns at the top and bottom surfaces of the plate. The shear correction factorsare not required in the formulation, as the transverse shear deformations are defined usingtrigonometric 'runctions that are of higher order. The effectiveness of the element is testedagainst standard problems concerning statics, vibration and buckling, for which exact three dimensionalumerical solutions areiavailable.
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