On the behavior of a class of patched plates during cooling

The behavior of patched beam-plates during uniform cooling is considered. A non-linear formulation is adopted and the problems of interest are solved analytically yielding exact results within the context of the mathematical model employed. Three non-dimensional parameters corresponding to (i) a loading parameter, (ii) a critical temperature and (iii) a critical membrane force, are seen to characterize the response of the composite structure. Stability is considered and critical behavior includes bifurcation and asymptotic buckling, non-trivial "groundstates", and demarcation and transition in deflection direction. Extensive numerical simulations based on analytical solutions are performed. Results are presented for various loading and support conditions and structural parameters, and reveal a rich and complex behavior and the factors that control such behavior. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.