Thermal stress distributions in axisymmetrically orthotropic fiber-reinforced composites with multilayered interfaces

Treating fibrous composites with multilayered interfaces as a cylindrical assemblage consisting of multiple coaxial circular cylinders, a model has been developed with which the thermal stresses in such composites reinforced with axisymmetrically orthotropic fibers, can be analytically calculated. The developed model is employed to examine the influences of the volume fractions of the constituents as well as mechanical and physical properties of the interfacial layers on the thermal stresses in the composites. For the composites reinforced with different types of axisymmetrically orthotropic fibers, the effects of the volume fractions of the constituents on the stresses in the composites are different. The variety of mechanical and physical properties of the interfacial layers can greatly change the stress distributions in the composites. Therefore, reasonable design of the volume fractions of the constituents as well as mechanical and physical properties of the interfacial layers can help reduce the thermal stresses in the composites and improve the thermal mismatch of the composites under the thermal loading. (C) 2003 Kluwer Academic Publishers.