Abstract:
The present research addresses a new computational study for the analysis of the
elastic field of both uniform as well as non-uniform guided structures of hybrid
laminated composites. Laminates composed of different ply materials of dissimilar
fiber orientations are considered for the present analysis. A displacement potential
based elasticity approach is used for the laminate, where the relevant displacement
components of plane elasticity are expressed in terms of a single scalar function. The
finite difference method is used to develop the single variable computational scheme,
which is capable of dealing with different ply materials as well as different fiber
orientations efficiently. The scheme is developed in such a way that it can handle
geometrical non-uniformity as well as mixed mode of physical conditions at the
surfaces of laminated structures.
The application of the computational scheme is demonstrated for a number of uniform
and non-uniform structural components, like beams and columns of hybrid laminated
composites. Balanced laminates composed of two different fiber reinforced composite
plies with various fiber orientations are considered for the non-uniform eccentrically
loaded column. On the other hand, laminates composed of fiber reinforced composite
plies and soft isotropic plies are considered for the non-uniform sinking beam
problem. The corresponding elastic fields of the overall laminate as well as individual
plies are analyzed mainly in the prospective of laminate hybridization. Both the fiber
materials and fiber orientation angles as well as geometrical aspect ratio of the
structural components are identified to play dominant roles in defining the design
stresses of the laminated structures.
Finally, in an attempt to verify the appropriateness as well as accuracy of the present
computational scheme, the present potential function solutions are compared with
available solutions obtained by standard computational method as well as those found
in the literature.
