Nonlinear thermal stability of geometrically imperfect shape memory alloy hybrid laminated composite plates

The instability of geometrically imperfect shape memory alloy (SMA) fibers reinforced with hybrid laminated composite (SMAHC) plates and subjected to a uniform thermal loading is analytically investigated. The material properties of the SMAHC plates are assumed to be functions of temperature. Nonlinear equations of the plates' thermal stability are derived based on a higher order shear deformation theory incorporating von Karman geometrical nonlinearity via stationary potential energy. The structural recovery stress, which is generated by martensitic phase transformation of the prestrained SMA fibers, is calculated based on the one-dimensional thermodynamic constitutive model by Brinson. Adopting the Galerkin procedure, the governing nonlinear partial differential equations are converted into a set of nonlinear algebraic equations, in which systems of equations are solved by introducing an analytical approach. Closed-form formulations are presented to determine the load-deflection path and critical buckling temperature of the plate. Based on the developed closed-form solutions, ample numerical results are presented to provide an insight into the effects of the volume fraction, prestrain, location and orientation of the SMA fibers, composite plate geometry, geometrical imperfection and temperature dependence on the stability of the SMAHC plates. It is shown that a proper application of SMA fibers results in a considerable delay of the thermal bifurcation and controllable thermal post-buckling deflection of the SMAHC plate. © 2014 IOP Publishing Ltd.