Polymers and Polymer Composites

ON THE TRANSIENT HYGROSCOPIC STRESSES IN POLYMER MATRIX LAMINATED COMPOSITES PLATES WITH CYCLIC AND UNSYMMETRIC ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

May 1, 2005 By: Tounsi A; Bouazza M; Meftah S; Adda-Bedia E Research article

Title: ON THE TRANSIENT HYGROSCOPIC STRESSES IN POLYMER MATRIX LAMINATED COMPOSITES PLATES WITH CYCLIC AND UNSYMMETRIC ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS
Page Range: p.489-503
Author(s): Tounsi A; Bouazza M; Meftah S; Adda-Bedia E
File size: 225K
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Journal: Polymers and Polymer Composites
Issue Year: ppc
Volume: 13
Issue No: No. 5

Abstract
This work aims to provide data on the long-term behaviour of aircraft structural components based on polymer matrix composites, subjected to severe environmental conditions. The emphasis of the research is on their ability to withstand cyclic variations of moisture and temperature, which induces transient residual stresses within the plies. Such stresses need to be taken into consideration in the design of composite aircraft structures. In this paper, the transient hygroscopic stresses induced by cyclic and unsymmetric environmental loadings which simulate an aeronautical application, are investigated. It is shown that the heterogeneity and anisotropy of such plates generally result in transient stress distributions which are very different from the equilibrium stress distribution. Some stacking sequences exhibited important stresses within the plies, which need to be taken into account in the design of composite structures submitted to a moist environment. 17 refs.


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