Snap-through behaviors and nonlinear vibrations of a bistable composite laminated cantilever shell:an experimental and numerical study

The snap-through behaviors and nonlinear vibrations are investigated for a bistable composite laminated cantilever shell subjected to transversal foundation excitation based on experimental and theoretical approaches.An improved experimental specimen is designed in order to satisfy the cantilever support boundary condition,which is composed of an asymmetric region and a symmetric region.The symmetric region of the experimental specimen is entirely clamped,which is rigidly connected to an electromagnetic shaker,while the asymmetric region remains free of constraint.Different motion paths are realized for the bistable cantilever shell by changing the input signal levels of the electromagnetic shaker,and the displacement responses of the shell are collected by the laser displacement sensors.The numerical simulation is conducted based on the established theoretical model of the bistable composite laminated cantilever shell,and an off-axis three-dimensional dynamic snap-through domain is obtained.The numerical solutions are in good agreement with the experimental results.The nonlinear stiffness characteristics,dynamic snap-through domain,and chaos and bifurcation behaviors of the shell are quantitatively analyzed.Due to the asymmetry of the boundary condition and the shell,the upper stable-state of the shell exhibits an obvious soft spring stiffness characteristic,and the lower stable-state shows a linear stiffness characteristic of the shell.

Inter-well internal resonance analysis of rectangular asymmetric cross-ply bistable composite laminated cantilever shell under transverse foundation excitation

The chaotic dynamic snap-through and complex nonlinear vibrations are investigated in a rectangular asymmetric cross-ply bistable composite laminated cantilever shell,in cases of 1:2 inter-well internal resonance and primary resonance.The transverse foundation excitation is applied to the fixed end of the structure,and the other end is in a free state.The first-order approximate multiple scales method is employed to perform the perturbation analysis on the dimensionless two-degree-of-freedom ordinary differential motion control equation.The four-dimensional averaged equations are derived in both polar and rectangular coordinate forms.Deriving from the obtained frequency-amplitude and force-amplitude response curves,a detailed analysis is conducted to examine the impacts of excitation amplitude,damping coefficient,and tuning parameter on the nonlinear internal resonance characteristics of the system.The nonlinear softening characteristic is exhibited in the upper stable-state,while the lower stable-state demonstrates the softening and linearity characteristics.Numerical simulation is carried out using the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method,and a series of nonlinear response curves are plotted.Increasing the excitation amplitude further elucidates the global bifurcation and chaotic dynamic snap-through characteristics of the bistable cantilever shell.

Low-velocity Impact Damage Analysis of Composite Laminates Using Self-adapting Delamination Element Method

On the basis ofa 2D 4-node Mindlin shell element method, a novel self-adapting delamination finite element method is presented, which is developed to model the delamination damage of composite laminates. In the method, the sublaminate elements are generated automatically when the delamination damage occurs or extends. Thus, the complex process and state of delamination damage can be simulated practically with high efficiency for both analysis and modeling. Based on the self-adapting delamination method, linear dynamic finite element damage analysis is performed to simulate the low-velocity impact damage process of three types of mixed woven composite laminates. Taking the frictional force among sublaminations during delaminating and the transverse normal stress into account, the analytical results are consistent with those of the experimental data.

Nonlinear progressive damage model for composite laminates used for low-velocity impact

In order to effectively describe the progressively intralaminar and interlam- inar damage for composite laminates, a three dimensional progressive damage model for composite laminates to be used for low-velocity impact is presented. Being applied to three-dimensional （3D） solid elements and cohesive elements, the nonlinear damage model can be used to analyze the dynamic performance of composite structure and its failure be- havior. For the intralaminar damage, as a function of the energy release rate, the damage model in an exponential function can describe progressive development of the damage. For the interlaminar damage, the damage evolution is described by the framework of the continuum mechanics through cohesive elements. Coding the user subroutine VUMAT of the finite element software ABAQUS/Explicit, the model is applied to an example, i.e., carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composite laminates under low-velocity impact. It is shown that the prediction of damage and deformation agrees well with the experimental results.

Damping and Mechanical Properties of Cocured Composite Laminates with Embedded Perforate Viscoelastic Layer

The composite laminates with embedded acrylonitrile butadiene rubber （NBR） layer were fabricated by cocuring process. The embedded layers were perforated with a series of small holes to allow resin to flow through the damping layer and completely couple the structure to improve bending stiffness and interlaminar shearing strength of these cocured composite laminates. The damping, bending stiffness and shearing strength of these composite laminates with different perforation diameters were investigated. The experimental results show that increasing the perforation diameter leads to significant decreases in damping and significant increase in bending stiffness up to an area ratio of 7.065%. The area ratio here is defined as the ratio of perforation area to the total damping area. Beyond the area ratio of 7.065%, increasing the diameter to an area ratio of 50.24% results in only a slight variation in damping and bending stiffness. Moreover, increasing the perforation diameter does not always increase the shearing strength of the embedded viscoelastic layer. The shearing strength of embedded viscoelastic layer increases only when the area ratio is greater than 19.625%; instead, it will decrease.

Double Hopf bifurcation of composite laminated piezoelectric plate subjected to external and internal excitations

The double Hopf bifurcation of a composite laminated piezoelectric plate with combined external and internal excitations is studied. Using a multiple scale method, the average equations are obtained in two coordinates. The bifurcation response equations of the composite laminated piezoelectric plate with the primary parameter resonance, i.e., 1：3 internal resonance, are achieved. Then, the bifurcation feature of bifurcation equations is considered using the singularity theory. A bifurcation diagram is obtained on the parameter plane. Different steady state solutions of the average equations are analyzed. By numerical simulation, periodic vibration and quasi-periodic vibration responses of the Composite laminated piezoelectric plate are obtained.

A unified prediction solution for vibro-acoustic analysis of composite laminated elliptical shells immersed in air

A semi-analytical method to conduct vibro-acoustic analysis of a composite laminated elliptical shell immersed in air is proposed.A variational method and multi-segment technique are used to formulate the dynamic model.The sound radiation of the exterior fluid field is calculated by a spectral Kirchhoff–Helmholtz integral formulation.The variables containing displacements and sound pressure are expanded by the combination of Fourier series and Chebyshev orthogonal polynomials.The collocation points are introduced to construct an algebraic system of acoustic integral equations,where these points are distributed on the roots of Chebyshev polynomials,and the non-uniqueness solution of system is eliminated by a combined Helmholtz integral.Numerical examples for sound radiation problems of composite laminated elliptical shells are presented and individual contributions of the circumferential modes to the acoustical results of composite laminated elliptical shells are also given.The effects of geometric and material parameters on sound radiation of composite laminated elliptical shells are also investigated.

Effect of SACMA and QMW Test Methods on Compressive Properties of Composite Laminates after Low Velocity Impact

Experimental studies on the compressive behavior of composite laminates after low velocity impact was carried out with two test methods.One is SACMA Standard,and the other is a small dimensional specimen test method.Impact damage distributions,compressive failure process after impact,quasi static indentation and compression of laminates with a hole were brought into comparison between these two test methods.The results showed that there is a great difference between these two test methods.Compressive behavior of laminates after impact varies with different test methods.Residual compressive strength of laminates after low velocity impact measured with SACMA Standard can reflect stiffness properties of composite resins more wholely than that measured with the other method can do.Small dimensional specimen test method should be improved on as an experimental standard of compressive strength after impact.

FATIGUE LIFE PREDICTION THEORY OF COMPOSITE LAMINATES AND EXPERIMENTAL VERIFICATION

According to traditional phenomenological fatigue methodology and moderncontinuum damage mechanics theory, dual fatigue cumulative damage rules to predict fatigue damageformation and propagation lives of the notched composite laminates are presented. A 3-dimensionaldamage constitutive equation of anisotropic composites is also established. Damage strain energyrelease rate is interpreted as a driving force of the fatigue delamination damage propagation. A newdamage evolution equation and a damage propagation σ_a-σ_m-N~* surface (stress amplitude-meanstress-life surface) are derived. Hence, using the method above, the fatigue life of compositecomponents can be predicted. Finally, theoretically predicted results are compared with experimentaldata. It is found that the deviation of theoretic prediction from experimental results is about22%.

Multi-objective Optimization of Co-cured Composite Laminates with Embedded Viscoelastic Damping Layer

Presented herein is a methodology for the multi-objective optimization of damping and bending stiffness of cocoured composite laminates with embedded viscoelastic damping layer. The embedded viscoelastic damping layer is perforated with a series of small holes, and the ratio of the perforation area to the total damping area is the design variable of the methodology. The multi-objective optimization is converted into a single-objective problem by an evaluation function which is a liner weigh sum of the two sub-objective functions. The proposed methodology was carried out to determine the optimal perforation area ratios of two viscoelstic layers with different perforation distance embedded in two composite plates. Both the optimal perforation area ratios are approximate to 2.2%. However, the objective value of the plate with greater perforation distance in embedded viscoelatic layer is much greater.

Extended Kantorovich method for local stresses in composite laminates upon polynomial stress functions

The extended Kantorovich method is employed to study the local stress concentrations at the vicinity of free edges in symmetrically layered composite laminates subjected to uniaxial tensile load upon polynomial stress functions. The stress fields are initially assumed by means of the Lekhnitskii stress functions under the plane strain state. Applying the principle of complementary virtual work,the coupled ordinary differential equations are obtained in which the solutions can be obtained by solving a generalized eigenvalue problem. Then an iterative procedure is established to achieve convergent stress distributions. It should be noted that the stress function based extended Kantorovich method can satisfy both the traction-free and free edge stress boundary conditions during the iterative processes. The stress components near the free edges and in the interior regions are calculated and compared with those obtained results by finite element method（FEM）. The convergent stresses have good agreements with those results obtained by three dimensional（3D） FEM. For generality, various layup configurations are considered for the numerical analysis. The results show that the proposed polynomial stress function based extended Kantorovich method is accurate and efficient in predicting the local stresses in composite laminates and computationally much more efficient than the 3D FEM.

THE ANALYSIS OF THIN WALLED COMPOSITE LAMINATED HELICOPTER ROTOR WITH HIERARCHICAL WARPING FUNCTIONS AND FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

In the present paper, a series of hierarchical warping functions is developed to analyze the static and dynamic problems of thin walled composite laminated helicopter rotors composed of several layers with single closed cell. This method is the development and extension of the traditional constrained warping theory of thin walled metallic beams, which had been proved very successful since 1940s. The warping distribution along the perimeter of each layer is expanded into a series of successively corrective warping functions with the traditional warping function caused by free torsion or free beading as the first term, and is assumed to be piecewise linear along the thickness direction of layers. The governing equations are derived based upon the variational principle of minimum potential energy for static analysis and Rayleigh Quotient for free vibration analysis. Then the hierarchical finite element method. is introduced to form a,. numerical algorithm. Both static and natural vibration problems of sample box beams axe analyzed with the present method to show the main mechanical behavior of the thin walled composite laminated helicopter rotor.

Suppression of thermal postbuckling and nonlinear panel flutter motions of variable stiffness composite laminates using piezoelectric actuators

Variable stiffness composite laminates(VSCLs)are promising in aerospace engineering due to their designable material properties through changing fiber angles and stacking sequences.Aiming to control the thermal postbuckling and nonlinear panel flutter motions of VSCLs,a full-order numerical model is developed based on the linear quadratic regulator(LQR)algorithm in control theory,the classical laminate plate theory(CLPT)considering von Kármán geometrical nonlinearity,and the first-order Piston theory.The critical buckling temperature and the critical aerodynamic pressure of VSCLs are parametrically investigated.The location and shape of piezoelectric actuators for optimal control of the dynamic responses of VSCLs are determined through comparing the norms of feedback control gain(NFCG).Numerical simulations show that the temperature field has a great effect on aeroelastic tailoring of VSCLs;the curvilinear fiber path of VSCLs can significantly affect the optimal location and shape of piezoelectric actuator for flutter suppression;the unstable panel flutter and the thermal postbuckling deflection can be suppressed effectively through optimal design of piezoelectric patches.

Mechanical property of single-bolted composite laminates

In order to investigate the effects of different geometrical parameters and pretightening loads on failure mode and bearing strength,a large number of single-bolted T300/QY8911 composite laminates were tested under static tension load.Box-plot was used to extract the singular testing values of bearing strength and effective statistical values were obtained.T-test method of independent samples was used to study how much pretightening loads influence bearing strength.The results show that the geometrical parameters,such as ratios of width to hole diameter(w/d) and edge distance to hole diameter(e/d),remarkably influence failure mode and bearing strength.Net-section failure will occur when w/d is smaller than 4,and shear-out failure will occur when e/d is smaller than 2.Bearing failure or bearing and shear-out combined failure will occur when w/d is greater than 4 and e/d is greater than 2.There is an optimal combination of geometrical parameters to achieve the highest bearing strength.For most of specimens,pretightening loads do not explicitly influence bearing strength.

ANALYSIS OF INTER-LAMINAR STRESSES FOR COMPOSITE LAMINATED PLATE WITH INTERFACIAL DAMAGE

A constitutive model for composite laminated plates with the damage effect of the intra-layers and inter-laminar interface is presented. The model is based on the general six-degrees-of-freedom plate theory, the discontinuity of displacement on the interfaces are depicted by three shape functions, which are formulated according to solutions satisfying three equilibrium equations, By using the variation principle, the three-dimensional non-linear equilibrium differential equations of the laminated plates with two different damage models are derived. Then, considering a simply supported laminated plate with damage, an analytical solution is presented using finite difference method to obtain the inter-laminar stresses.

TORSION OF COMPOSITE LAMINATED BARS WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF LAYERS

In view of rite effective elastic moduli theory([1]), analyzing the thick composite laminated bars subjected to an externally applied torque are presented by three-dimensional finite element (3-D FEM) and global-local method in this paper. Numerical results involving the distribution of shearing stresses olt cross-section and the torsional deformation and the interlaminar stresses near to free edges are given. If necessary elements discretization may be densely carried out only in the high stress gradient, region. Obviously, it requires less computer memory and computational time so that it offers an effective way for evaluating strength of laminated bars torsion with a greet number of layers.

Analytical solutions to edge effect of composite laminates based on symplectic dual system

In the symplectic space composed of the original variables,displacements,and their dual variables,stresses,the symplectic solution for the composite laminates based on the Pipes-Pagano model is established in this paper.In contrast to the traditional technique using only one kind of variables,the symplectic dual variables include displacement components as well as stress components.Therefore,the compatibility conditions of displacement and stress at interfaces can be formulated simultaneously.After being introduced into the symplectic dual system,the uniform schemes,such as the separation of variables and symplectic eigenfunction expansion method,can be implemented conveniently to analyze composite laminate problems.An analytical solution for the free edge effect of composite laminates is obtained,showing the effectiveness of the symplectic dual method in analyzing composite laminates.

Vibration characteristics and flutter analysis of a composite laminated plate with a store

The effects of an external store on the flutter characteristics of a composite laminated plate in a supersonic flow are investigated. The Dirac function is used to formulate the interaction between the plate and the store. The first-order piston theory is used to describe the aerodynamic load. The governing equation of the composite laminated plate with an external store is established based on the Hamilton principle. The mode shapes are constructed by the admissible functions which axe a set of characteristic orthogonal polynomials generated directly by the Gram-Schmidt process, and the boundary constraint is modeled as the artificial springs. The frequency and mode shapes of the plate under different boundaries are determined by the Rayleigh-Ritz method. The validity of the proposed approach is confirmed by comparing the results with those obtained from the finite element method （FEM）. The effects of the mounting position, the center of gravity position and the mounting points spacing of the external store on the flutter boundary are discussed for both the simply supported and cantilever plates, respectively, which correspond to the two installation sites of the external store, i.e., the belly and wings of the aircraft.

NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF DELAMINATION GROWTH FOR STIFFENED COMPOSITE LAMINATED PLATES

A study of postbuckling and delamination propagation behavior in delaminated stiffened composite plates was presented. A methodology was proposed for simulating the multi-failure responses, such as initial and postbuckling, delamination onset and propagation, etc. A finite element analysis was conducted on the basis of the Mindlin first order shear effect theory and the von-Krmn nonlinear deformation assumption. The total energy release rate used as the criteria of delamination growth was estimated with virtual crack closure technique (VCCT). A self-adaptive grid moving technology was adopted to model the delamination growth process. Moreover, the contact effect along delamination front was also considered during the numerical simulation process. By some numerical examples, the influence of distribution and location of stiffener, configuration and size of the delamination, boundary condition and contact effect upon the delamination growth behavior of the stiffened composite plates were investigated. The method and numerical conclusion provided should be of great value to engineers dealing with composite structures.

Reliability analysis of a composite laminate using estimation theory

Composite laminates are made up of composite single-plies sequence. The plies generally have the same fiber and resin and their difference in fiber orientation results in a difference in various laminates' strength. Tsai-Hill failure criterion as a limiting state function to analyze structural reliability of a composite laminate and estimation theory in order to estimate statistical parameters of effective stress were utilized to construct probability box. Finally, we used the Monte Carlo simulation and FERUM software to calculate the upper and lower bounds of probability of failure.