Finite Element Thermostructural Analysis of Laminated Composite Shells of Revolution Under Asymmetric Thermal Loading

Abstract

This paper presents a finite element thermostructural analysis procedure for the generally laminated composite shells of revolution subjected to an asymmetric thermal loading. Governing finite element equations are obtained from the conduction and equilibrium equations of the shell. A general thermal load, both symmetric and asymmetric, that constitutes heat fluxes and convective fluxes, are expressed in terms of trigonometric Fourier series. Two noded and three noded isoparametric axisymmetric elements are used in the analysis. For thermal analysis, the nodal degree of freedom is temperature and for structural analysis, the nodal degrees of freedom are three translational displacements and two rotations. The present analysis also includes the shear flexibility of the composite laminates. The governing finite element equations are solved for the individual Fourier modes and these solutions are superposed to obtain the final solution. Numerical examples are chosen to study the effects of geometry, lamination and structural boundary conditions on both the thermal and the structural response. An interesting observation is that anisotropy in thermal conductivity of the composite influences the maximum temperature rise. Circumferential displacement prevails under the asymmetric loads and/or the antisymmetric laminations of a composite.