THERMAL POSTBUCKLING OF METAL-MATRIX LAMINATED PLATES

The postbuckling response of metal matrix laminated plates that are subjected to thermal loading is investigated A micromechanical analysis, which accounts the thermo-viscoplastic behavior of the metallic matrix and its interaction with the elastic fibers and provides the overall constitutive response of metal matrix composite (MMC), is performed. This is further employed in a structural analysis to obtain the thermal postbuckling behavior of MMC laminated plates. Results are presented for unidirectional and angle-ply graphite/aluminum and boron/aluminum geometrically imperfect plates that are subjected to uniform temperature loadings. The influences of the amplitude of initial geometrical imperfections, the lamination angle the length-to-thickness ratio, and the effect of heating followed by a subsequent cooling are investigated. Comparisons with the corresponding elastic solutions, which are obtained by neglecting the inelastic effects in the metallic matrix are presented.