Maximum curvatures of 0/90 plates under thermal stress: Modelling and experimental validation

In this paper, special attention is paid to the maximum curvatures induced by uniform thermal fields in 0m/90n laminated square plates. The effects of the relative thickness of the 90° ply e90 and of the elastic and thermoelastic anisotropy on the curvature tensor are then studied. The conditions for which the curvatures are maximum are established by adopting the polar method within the context of the classical lamination theory. It is found that the location of the maximum curvatures is influenced by the level of elastic anisotropy, defined by the polar parameter R1, while the magnitude of the maximum curvatures is driven by the thermoelastic properties, that is, the coefficients of thermal expansion. The capabilities of a geometrical nonlinear model are explored and experimental evidence of maximum curvatures of glass/epoxy composite materials are provided.