Effect of hygrothermal environment on the bending of PMC laminates under large deflection

The effects of hygrothermal conditions on the large-deflection behavior of fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composite laminates have been studied. Cyli ndrical bending of laminates under in-plane and transverse loadings is anal yzed using the von Karman plate theory. A cross-plied symmetric laminate is chosen as an example. The results presented show the effects of expansiona l strains due to moisture. Results of a similar nature are expected under t hermally induced expansion strains also. The formulation is quite general as it can be used for the hygrothermo-mech anical loading of PMCs as well as for the thermo-mechanical loading of MMCs , and fiber and matrix properties may be considered to be transversely isot ropic.