Bending of symmetric cross-ply multilayered plates in hygrothermal environments

Abstract

The bending analysis of symmetric cross-ply laminated plates in a hygrothermal environment is presented. The sinusoidal shear deformation plate theory is used for this purpose. It enables the trial and testing of different through-the-thickness transverse shear-deformation distributions and, among them, strain distributions that do not involve the undesirable implications of the transverse shear correction factors. The governing differential equations for the bending of laminated plates are obtained using various plate theories. Displacement functions that identically satisfy boundary conditions are used to reduce the governing equations to a set of coupled ordinary differential equations with variable coefficients. Numerical results for deflection and stresses are presented. The effect of different types of sinusoidal hygrothermal/thermal loadings is investigated. The influence various parameters such as material anisotropy, aspect ratio, side-to-thickness ratio, thermal expansion coefficients ratio and stacking sequence on the hygrothermally induced response is also investigated. A concluding remark is made.