Stochastic Finite Element Analysis of Thermal Deformation and Thermal Stresses of CFRP Laminated Plates

Abstract

The effect of probabilistic fiber orientations on the response of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic laminated plates due to thermal load is analyzed by the stochastic finite element method based on the first-order perturbation technique. The fiber orientations are taken as a two-dimensional spatial stochastic process, and the stochasticity is represented by a trigonometrical autocorrelation function. Numerical examples are carried out in regard to the rectangular CFRP laminated plates subjected to a uniform temperature rise or a constant temperature gradient through the thickness. The variance of the thermal deformation and stresses is discussed for the input statistical property of the orientations.