Analysis of Metal Matrix Laminated Cylindrical Panels Subjected to Nonuniform Temperature Loading

Abstract

The moderately large deflection response of metal matrix composite (MMC) cylindrical panels to nonuniform thermal loading is addressed. Temperature dependence of both elastic and viscoplastic properties of the metallic matrix is taken into account; this suggests that a nonuniformly heated panel should be considered as a nonhomogeneous structure. At each loading increment, a micromechanical analysis is performed to establish the instantaneous thermoinelastic constitutive law at each point of the panel. This is followed by a structural analysis that yields quasi-static thermal response of antisymmetrically laminated MMC panels. Results are presented for simply supported and clamped graphite-aluminum panels and for two types of in-plane boundary conditions. The effects of boundary conditions, lamination angle, panel's curvature, length-to-thickness ratio, and different types of spatial temperature distributions are illustrated. Comparisons with results obtained using an approach that treats the effect of temperature-dependent material properties in a simplified manner are shown. Comparisons with the corresponding elastic solutions (which neglect the inelastic effects in the metallic matrix) are given.