Thermal shocks in composite plates: A coupled thermoelastic finite element analysis

The coupled dynamic thermoelastic response of a fibrous composite plate exposed to a thermal shock is examined in the present article. An explicit and integrated finite element method is employed to solve the associated coupled thermoelastic equations simultaneously. The classical linear coupled thermoelastic theory is considered for a laminated composite plate. The thermoelastic properties of the laminate are derived from those of its constituent fibre and matrix. The structural model includes the effects of extension-bending-twisting coupling, shear deformation, and rotary and coupling inertias. In the example analysis section, a simply supported carbon-carbon composite plate is considered subjected to a central thermal shock. Results depict the time history of temperature, deformation, stress and moment resultants in the composite plate.