High-temperature thermoplastic-matrix composites are currently considered to be used in highperformance structures such as supersonic aircraft and submersibles. The advanced structural applications require accurate analyses and clear understanding of the failure behavior of structural elements at elevated-temperatures. Among various structural failure problems presently concerned, elevated temperature stability of a thermoplastic-matrix composite panels under multiaxial loading is of significant interest not only because of its intrinsic complexities but also because of its technical importance. The objectives of the present study are to introduce a proper mathematical method to account for high-temperature constitutive properties of the composites and to investigate fundamental creep buckling behavior of thermoplastic-matrix composite panels under general multiaxial loading in an elevated-temperature environments.
The present paper shows a reliable and efficient optimization approach on a minimum weight design of laminated composites under a single in-plane loading. Layer orientation angles as well as layer thicknesses are used as design variables, and the optimization technique is based upon a mathematical programming method. Transformed design variables with respect to the layer orientation angles in the principal loading direction are introduced to reduce the nonlinearity between strength constraints and design variables. A technique is also proposed to delete the strength constraints of almost zero thickness layers.
It is well known that two-layered angle-ply laminates twist under tensile load. Twist angles of the laminates may be calculated by the utilization of so-called lamination theory. The lamination theory is based on Kirchhoff hypothesis for plate bending problems; therefore, restrictions on deformations are imposed. In the present paper twist phenomena of two-layered angleply laminates are analyzed by extending the theory of torsion of bars which is free from the restrictions. The results of numerical calculations show that the twist angles highly depend on the fiber directions and the direction of twist can be plus or minus for certain material properties.