An analytical solution for thermomechanical buckling of variable angle tow composite laminates with elastically restrained edges

Abstract

The inherent anisotropy and variable stiffness characteristics exhibited by Variable Angle Tow (VAT) composite materials offer significant possibilities for enhancing the performance of corresponding structures. Through appropriate selection of the curved fiber paths, it becomes feasible to design structures that are both lightweight and efficient. However, conducting mechanical analysis on VAT composite structures is of considerable challenges, particularly in seeking analytical solutions. In view of this, this paper aims to investigate the thermomechanical buckling behavior of VAT composite laminates with elastically restrained edges and presents an analytical solution for the studied problem. The analysis is based on the assumption that the fiber orientation angle of each lamina varies linearly or nonlinearly along the x direction, and the fundamental equations for thermomechanical buckling of VAT laminates are derived using the classical laminated plate theory. The analytical solution is obtained through the combined utilization of Taylor series and Frobenius series. Furthermore, a comprehensive parameter analysis is conducted to assess the impact of different factors, such as fiber paths and elastic support stiffness, on the critical thermomechanical buckling load and mode of VAT laminates. The resulting findings serve as a valuable reference for VAT laminate design, while the proposed analytical solution can be employed as a benchmark for validating other numerical results.