Multiobjective Best Theory Diagrams for cross-ply composite plates employing polynomial, zig-zag, trigonometric and exponential thickness expansions

This paper presents Best Theory Diagrams (BTDs) for plates considering all the displacement and stress components as objectives. The BTD is a diagram in which the minimum number of terms that have to be used to achieve the desired accuracy can be read. Maclaurin, zig-zag, trigonometric and exponential expansions are employed for the static analysis of cross-ply composite plates. The Equivalent Single Layer (ESL) approach is considered, and the Unified Formulation developed by Carrera is used. The governing equations are derived from the Principle of Virtual Displacements (PVD), and Navier-type closed-form solutions are adopted. BTDs are obtained using the Axiomatic/Asymptotic Method (AAM) and genetic algorithms (GA). The results show that the BTD can be used as a tool to assess the accuracy and computational efficiency of any structural models and to draw guidelines to develop structural models. The inclusion of the multiobjective capability extends the BTD validity to the recognition of the role played by each output parameter in the refinement of a structural model

Best theory diagrams for cross-ply composite plates using polynomial, trigonometric and exponential thickness expansions

This paper presents Best Theory Diagrams (BTDs) employing combinations of Maclaurin, trigonometric and exponential terms to build two-dimensional theories for laminated cross-ply plates. The BTD is a curve in which the least number of unknown variables to meet a given accuracy requirement is read. The used refined models are Equivalent Single Layer and are obtained using the Unified Formulation developed by Carrera. The governing equations are derived from the Principle of Virtual Displacement (PVD), and Navier-type closed form solutions have been obtained in the case of simply supported plates loaded by a bisinuisoidal transverse pressure. BTDs have been constructed using the Axiomatic/Asymptotic Method (AAM) and genetic algorithms (GA). The influence of trigonometric and exponential terms in the BTDs has been studied for different layer configurations, length-to-thickness ratios, and stresses. It is shown that the addition of trigonometric and exponential expansion terms to Maclaurin ones may improve the accuracy and computational cost of refined plate theories. The combined use of CUF, AAM and GA is a powerful tool to evaluate the accuracy of any structural theory

An axiomatic/asymptotic evaluation of best theories for isotropic metallic and functionally graded plates employing non-polynomic functions

This paper presents Best Theory Diagrams (BTDs) constructed from various non-polynomial terms to identify best plate theories for metallic and functionally graded plates. The BTD is a curve that provides the minimum number of unknown variables necessary to obtain a given accuracy or the best accuracy given by a given number of unknown variables. The plate theories that belong to the BTD have been obtained using the Axiomatic/Asymptotic Method (AAM). The different plate theories reported are implemented by using the Carrera Unified Formulation (CUF). Navier-type solutions have been obtained for the case of simply supported plates loaded by a bisinusoidal transverse pressure with different length-to-thickness ratios. The BTDs built from non-polynomial functions are compared with BTDs using Maclaurin expansions. The results suggest that the plate models obtained from the BTD using nonpolynomial terms can improve the accuracy obtained from Maclaurin expansions for a given number of unknown variables of the displacement field

Refined theories based on non-polynomial kinematics for the thermoelastic analysis of functionally graded plates

This article presents an analytical solution for the thermoelastic analysis of simply supported functionally graded sandwich plates using the Carrera unified formulation, which allows the automatic implementation of various structural theories. The governing equations for plates under thermal loads are obtained using the principal of virtual displacement and solved using the Navier method. Linear and nonlinear temperature fields through the thickness are taken into account. Particular attention is focused on plate theories with nonpolynomial refined kinematics. The results of the present displacement fields are compared with the classical polynomial ones, proposed by Carrera, for several orders of expansion

In-situ Analysis of Laminated Composite Materials by X-ray Micro-Computed Tomography and Digital Volume Correlation

The complex mechanical behaviour of composite materials, due to internal heterogeneity and multi-layered composition impose deeper studies. This paper presents an experimental investigation technique to perform volume kinematic measurements in composite materials. The association of X-ray micro-computed tomography acquisitions and Digital Volume Correlation (DVC) technique allows the measurement of displacements and deformations in the whole volume of composite specimen. To elaborate the latter, composite fibres and epoxy resin are associated with metallic particles to create contrast during X-ray acquisition. A specific in situ loading device is presented for three-point bending tests, which enables the visualization of transverse shear effects in composite structures

Size-dependent behaviour of functionally graded sandwich microplates under mechanical and thermal loads

This paper presents the static bending, free vibration and buckling behaviours of functionally graded sandwich microplates under mechanical and thermal loads. Governing equations of both higher-order shear deformation and quasi-3D theories are derived based on the variational principle and modified couple stress theory. Apart from mechanical load, the temperature profiles considered are either uniform or linear distribution through the thickness, which results in changes of material properties and stress resultants. Numerical results are obtained using Navier solutions. The difference between quasi-3D and 2D models in dealing with mechanical and thermal load is discussed. Temperature-dependent and temperature-independent material properties are examined. The effects of geometry and power-law index together with mechanical loads and various temperature distributions on the size-dependent behaviours of functionally graded sandwich plates are also investigated

3D semi-analytical solution of hygro-thermo-mechanical multilayered doubly-curved shells

El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado.In this paper, a three-dimensional bending solution of doubly-curved shells subjected to mechanical, thermal and hygrothermal load is studied. Through-the-thickness temperature of the shell is modeled by Fourier's heat conduction equation. Fick's moisture diffusion law equation is used to determine the hygro-thermal profile through-the-thickness. The partial differential equations are solved by using the Navier closed form summations which are valid only for shells with constant radii of curvature among the midsurface and with simply supported boundary conditions on its shell's edges. The shell governing equations are solved by discretizing the thickness profile via Legendre's grid distribution and by using the Differential Quadrature Method (DQM). The Layerwise capabilities of the method is guaranteed by imposing the inter-laminar continuity of out-of-the-plane stresses, displacements, temperature and hygrothermal load thickness profile. The zero-stress condition for the transverse shear stresses is imposed due to the fact that no mechanical loads are applied in those directions. Results for cylindrical, spherical panels and rectangular plates are presented. Comparisons are made with Layerwise and three-dimensional solutions available in literature. The results have strong accuracy and a benchmark problem is delivered.Consejo Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Tecnológic

Computational semi-analytical method for the 3D elasticity bending solution of laminated composite and sandwich doubly-curved shells

El texto completo de este trabajo no está disponible en el Repositorio Académico UPC por restricciones de la casa editorial donde ha sido publicado.In this paper, a three-dimensional numerical solution for the bending study of laminated composite doubly-curved shells is presented. The partial differential equations are solved analytically by the Navier summation for the midsurface variables; this method is only valid for shells with constant curvature where boundary conditions are considered simply supported. The partial differential equations present different coefficients, which depend on the thickness coordinates. A semi-analytical solution and the so-called Differential Quadrature Method are used to calculate an approximated derivative of a certain function by a weighted summation of the function evaluated in a certain grin domain. Each layer is discretized by a grid point distribution such as: Chebyshev-Gauss-Lobatto, Legendre, Ding and Uniform. As part of the formulation, the inter-laminar continuity conditions of displacements and transverse shear stresses between the interfaces of two layers are imposed. The proper traction conditions at the top and bottom of the shell due to applied transverse loadings are also considered. The present results are compared with other 3D solutions available in the literature, classical 2D models, Layer-wise models, etc. Comparison of the results show that the present formulation correctly predicts through-the-thickness distributions for stresses and displacements while maintaining a low computational cost.Consejo Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación Tecnológic

On the effects of trigonometric and exponential terms on the best theory diagrams for metallic, multilayered, and functionally graded plates

This paper presents Best Theory Diagrams (BTDs) employing combinations of Maclaurin, trigonometric, and exponential terms to build two-dimensional theories for metallic, multilayered, and functionally graded plates. The BTD is a curve in which the least number of unknown variables to meet a given accuracy requirement is read. The present refined models are Equivalent Single Layer and are implemented by using the Unified Formulation developed by Carrera. The plate theories presented are obtained using the axiomatic/asymptotic method and genetic algorithms. A multiobjective optimization technique is employed to analyze multiple displacements and stresses simultaneously. Closed-form, Navier-type solutions have been obtained in the case of simply supported plates loaded by a bisinusoidal transverse pressure. The influence of trigonometric and exponential terms in the BTDs has been studied for different materials and length-to-thickness ratios. The results show that the addition of such terms can lead to enhanced BTDs in which fewer unknown variables than pure Maclaurin expansions are needed to detect 3D like accuracies