Static analysis of GFRP composite plates with filler using higher order shear deformation theory

Abstract

Abstract The order of displacement fields in a plate theory proves the worthiness and accuracy of the plate displacement field designed. As a result, HSDT shows better efficiency than that of CPT and FSDT. The higher the order of displacement field, there is better accuracy in the computation result. In this work the order of the generalized HSDT is set to five. Also, it is incorporated for vertical direction to determine the displacement function. For this, a numerical program is developed by the help of MATLAB and validated with the references. The results of the theory assumed are compared with the results of other theories like CPT, FSDT and other HSDTs for a standard isotropic test specimen with known material property and geometry assumed from the references. Then E-glass-fibre rein forced epoxy based composite plates with filler materials are assumed as the verge of the numerical study to find out the static responses. The weight percentage of fibber along with fillers is limited to 60% of the total weight of composite. The weight content of Flyash and Graphene taken as the fillers is varied from 0 to 10%. Square plates of different thickness to side ratios with simple supported boundary conditions are considered. The in-plane and out-plane stress components along with static deflections of the plate mid-plane are determined and compared. The effect of filler addition is meanwhile also tested and the optimized. It is found that the variation of fillers should be kept in between 2 and 8% of total weight content of the composite.