Hygro-thermo-mechanical modelling of multilayered plates: Hybrid composite laminates, fibre metal laminates and sandwich plates

Abstract A new layerwise mixed model is developed for the coupled hygro-thermo-mechanical static analysis of multilayered plates, addressing hybrid composite laminates, fibre metal laminates and sandwich plates under hygro-thermo-mechanical loadings. This model is based on a mixed least-squares formulation, i.e. a strong form model, with a layerwise variable description for displacements, transverse stresses and in-plane strains, along with temperature, transverse heat flux and in-plane components of the thermal gradient, as well as moisture, transverse moisture flux and in-plane components of the moisture gradient, all taken as independent variables. This mixed formulation ensures that the interlaminar  C 0 continuity requirements, where the material properties change, are fully fulfilled a priori by all independent variables. The effects of hygrothermal environments in the behaviour of multilayered plates are here demonstrated considering hybrid composite laminates, fibre metal laminates and sandwich plates with different side-to-thickness ratios under a series of hygro-thermo-mechanical loadings. Three-dimensional (3D) exact solutions are used to assess the results by the present model and some further by an alternative weak form model in the framework of Carrera Unified Formulation (CUF). The present model is shown to predict a highly accurate quasi-3D hygro-thermo-mechanical description of the through-thickness distributions of displacements and stresses, temperature and heat flux, moisture and moisture flux, all together.

[1]  C. M. Mota Soares,et al.  Three-dimensional exact hygro-thermo-elastic solutions for multilayered plates: Composite laminates, fibre metal laminates and sandwich plates , 2019, Composite Structures.

[2]  C. M. Mota Soares,et al.  Layerwise mixed least-squares finite element models for static and free vibration analysis of multilayered composite plates , 2010 .

[3]  J. N. Reddy,et al.  Layerwise mixed models for analysis of multilayered piezoelectric composite plates using least-squares formulation , 2015 .

[4]  C. M. Mota Soares,et al.  Deformations and stresses of multilayered plates with embedded functionally graded material layers using a layerwise mixed model , 2019, Composites Part B: Engineering.

[5]  Dimitris A. Saravanos,et al.  Exact free‐vibration analysis of laminated plates with embedded piezoelectric layers , 1995 .

[6]  Xu Zhou,et al.  Dynamic Responses of Smart Composites Using a Coupled Thermo-Piezoelectric -Mechanical Model , 2000 .

[7]  Onur Çoban,et al.  A review: Fibre metal laminates, background, bonding types and applied test methods , 2011 .

[8]  Erasmo Carrera,et al.  Variable kinematic shell elements for composite laminates accounting for hygrothermal effects , 2017 .

[9]  S. Lo,et al.  Hygrothermal effects on multilayered composite plates using a refined higher order theory , 2010 .

[10]  D. Saravanos,et al.  Mechanics and Computational Models for Laminated Piezoelectric Beams, Plates, and Shells , 1999 .

[11]  Paul R. Heyliger,et al.  Static behavior of laminated elastic/piezoelectric plates , 1994 .

[12]  J. N. Reddy,et al.  Three-dimensional thermal analysis of laminated composite plates , 1995 .

[13]  Timothy C. Warburton,et al.  Basis Functions for Triangular and Quadrilateral High-Order Elements , 1999, SIAM J. Sci. Comput..

[14]  Erasmo Carrera,et al.  Hierarchic Multilayered Plate Elements for Coupled Multifield Problems of Piezoelectric Adaptive Structures: Formulation and Numerical Assessment , 2007 .

[15]  T. K. Varadan,et al.  THERMOELASTIC SOLUTIONS FOR ORTHOTROPIC AND ANISOTROPIC COMPOSITE LAMINATES , 1996 .

[16]  K. M. Rao,et al.  Three dimensional exact solution of thermal stresses in rectangular composite laminate , 1994 .

[17]  C. M. Mota Soares,et al.  A layerwise mixed least-squares finite element model for static analysis of multilayered composite plates , 2011 .

[18]  E. Carrera.  Theories and Finite Elements for Multilayered Plates and Shells:A Unified compact formulation with numerical assessment and benchmarking , 2003 .

[19]  C. M. Mota Soares,et al.  Assessment of a layerwise mixed least-squares model for analysis of multilayered piezoelectric composite plates , 2012 .

[20]  Ahmed K. Noor,et al.  Computational Models for High-Temperature Multilayered Composite Plates and Shells , 1992 .

[21]  James M. Whitney,et al.  Effect of Environment on the Elastic Response of Layered Composite Plates , 1971 .

[22]  Aurélio L. Araújo,et al.  Benchmark exact free vibration solutions for multilayered piezoelectric composite plates , 2017 .

[23]  N. Pagano,et al.  Exact Solutions for Rectangular Bidirectional Composites and Sandwich Plates , 1970 .

[24]  E. Carrera.  Theories and finite elements for multilayered, anisotropic, composite plates and shells , 2002 .

[25]  Erasmo Carrera,et al.  AN ASSESSMENT OF MIXED AND CLASSICAL THEORIES FOR THE THERMAL STRESS ANALYSIS OF ORTHOTROPIC MULTILAYERED PLATES , 2000 .

[26]  Z. Leman,et al.  An experimental review on the mechanical properties and hygrothermal behaviour of fibre metal laminates , 2017 .

[27]  A. Muliana,et al.  Deformation in viscoelastic sandwich composites subject to moisture diffusion , 2010 .

[28]  G. Springer,et al.  Moisture Absorption and Desorption of Composite Materials , 1976 .

[29]  Erasmo Carrera,et al.  Temperature Profile Influence on Layered Plates Response Considering Classical and Advanced Theories , 2002 .

[30]  Erasmo Carrera,et al.  Hygrothermal analysis of multilayered composite plates by variable kinematic finite elements , 2017 .

[31]  T. K. Varadan,et al.  A new theory for accurate thermal/mechanical flexural analysis of symmetric laminated plates , 1999 .

[32]  Hiroyuki Matsunaga,et al.  A comparison between 2-D single-layer and 3-D layerwise theories for computing interlaminar stresses of laminated composite and sandwich plates subjected to thermal loadings , 2004 .

[33]  F. Moleiro,et al.  Fully coupled thermo-mechanical analysis of multilayered plates with embedded FGM skins or core layers using a layerwise mixed model , 2019, Composite Structures.

[34]  A. Rao,et al.  Bending, vibration and buckling of simply supported thick orthotropic rectangular plates and laminates , 1970 .

[35]  J. Reddy.  Mechanics of laminated composite plates and shells : theory and analysis , 1996 .

[36]  J. N. Reddy,et al.  Benchmark exact solutions for the static analysis of multilayered piezoelectric composite plates using PVDF , 2014 .