Foreword

The aim of this book is to present the basis for calculation of composite structures, using continuum mechanics equations which enable the more elaborate theories to be treated.

The first part is devoted to study of materials constituting the layers of laminated composites. The constitutive equations for anisotropic and in particular orthotropic materials are presented, with temperature and hygrometry effects taken into account. Next the basic laws of mixtures are given, which enable the behaviour of unidirectional layers to be predicted from the characteristics of their fibres and matrix components.

The subject of the second part is multi-layer plates. We begin by presenting the general equations of thin plates in Kirchhoff-Love analysis. Later, symmetrical orthotropic plates are studied in detail for cases of bending, vibration and buckling. The thermo-elastic behaviour of multi-layers plates is considered separately. Then we tackle symmetric orthotropic moderately thick plates, using Reissner-Mindlin type analysis. Examples of asymmetrical plates in Kirchhoff-Love theory are analysed in detail. The cylindrical bending of laminated composites is treated in both Kirchhoff-Love and Reissner-Mindlin type analysis, with bending, vibration and buckling applications.

The third part of this book is devoted to beams. The first chapter of this part treats tension-compression loading. The following chapter treats bending with transverse shear deformations not taken in account. The last chapter of this part presents bending taking into account transverse shear. Examples of bending, vibration and buckling are considered for each case.

In the appendices, plate equations are developed by integrating local equations of motion. Global equations are obtained from variational formulae of continuum mechanics.