Composite materials are being used to solve an ever-increasing variety
of engineering problems. One application is to use a filament-wound f
iber composite to strengthen cylindrical structures. Research continue
s today in an attempt to utilize these composite structures in various
areas. Depending on lay-up and cure cycle, large localized stresses c
an be generated during processing which could cause defects such as lo
ngitudinal wrinkles, layer separation, and micro-cracking. Tools for u
nderstanding the thermo-mechanical behavior need to be available to bo
th the design and manufacturing engineer. This paper describes techniq
ues for calculating the elastic stresses and strains that would be enc
ountered as a result of manufacture and utilization as well as some of
the associated problems. Certain assumptions are suggested about the
material behavior of the resin during cure. Numerical results are obta
ined for several cases that show the effects of these assumptions and
their relationship to processing defects. The residual stress state du
e to processing is predicted. The influences of temperature gradient a
nd fiber architecture on the stress fields are examined.