Elastic and Plastic Stress Analysis of Composite Beams under Distributed Load

Abstract

An analytical elastic-plastic stress analysis is carried out on metal-matrix composite beams of arbitrary orientation, supported from two ends under a transverse uniformly distributed load. The composite layer consists of stainless steel fiber and aluminum matrix. The material is assumed to be perfectly plastic during the elastic–plastic solution. The intensity of the uniform force is chosen at a small value; therefore, the normal stress component is neglected in the elastic-plastic solution. The expansion of the plastic region and plastic stress component of σxare determined for orientation angles of 0, 30, 45, 60 and 90o. Plastic yielding occurs for 0 o and 90 o orientation angles on the lower and upper surfaces of the beam at the same distances from the mid-point. However, it starts first at the lower surface for 30, 45 and 60 o orientation angles.