Enhanced thermal buckling of laminated composite cylindrical shells with shape memory alloy

Abstract

Thermal bifurcation behavior of cross-ply laminated composite cylindrical shells embedded with shape memory alloy fibers is investigated. Properties of the constituents are assumed to be temperature-dependent. Donnell's kinematic assumptions accompanied with the von-Karman type of geometrical non-linearity are used to derive the governing equations of the shell. Furthermore, the one-dimensional constitutive law of Brinson is used to predict the behavior of shape memory alloy fibers through the heating process. Governing equilibrium equations are established by employing the static version of virtual displacements principle. Linear membrane pre-buckling analysis is performed to extract the pre-buckling deformations of the shell. Applying the well-known adjacent equilibrium criterion to the pre-buckling state of the shell, stability equations are derived. The governing equations are solved via a semi-analytical solution employing the exact trigonometric function in circumferential direction and the harmonic differential quadrature method in the longitudinal direction. Numerical results cover various cases of edge supports, cross-ply lamination, shape memory alloy fibers volume fraction and shape memory alloy fiber pre-strain. It is shown that, proper usage of shape memory alloy fibers results in considerable delay of the thermal bifurcation type of buckling.