Layer-Wise Theories for the Analysis of Thermo-Mechanical Coupling of Layered Structures

Abstract

In the the fully coupled thermo-mechanical analysis of one-layered and multilayered isotropic and composite plates and shells, the temperature is a primary variable of the problem as the displacement; it is therefore directly obtained from the model and this feature permits three problems to be evaluated: - static analysis of structures with imposed temperature on the external surfaces; - static analysis of structures subjected to a mechanical load, with the possibility of considering the temperature fleld efiects; - a free vibration problem, with the evaluation of the temperature fleld efiects. Several reflned theories with orders of expansion in the thickness direction, for displacements and temperature, from linear to fourth-order are obtained in the framework of Carrera’s Unifled Formulation. Both equivalent single layer and layer wise approaches are considered for the multilayered plates and shells, and the importance of layer wise theories is remarked.