Generalized plane strain thermoelastic deformation of laminated anisotropic thick plates

The generalized plane strain quasi-static thermoelastic deformations of lam inated anisotropic thick plates are analyzed by using the Eshelby-Stroh for malism. The laminated plate consists of homogeneous laminae of arbitrary th icknesses. The three-dimensional equations of linear anisotropic thermoelas ticity simplified to the case of generalized plane strain deformations are exactly satisfied at every point in the body. The analytical solution is in terms of an infinite series; the continuity conditions at the interfaces a nd boundary conditions at the bounding surfaces are used to determine the c oefficients. The formulation admits different mechanical and thermal bounda ry conditions at the edges of each lamina, and is applicable to thick and t hin laminated plates. Results are computed for thick laminated plates with edges either rigidly clamped, simply supported or traction-free and compare d with the predictions of the classical laminated plate theory and the firs t-order shear deformation theory. The boundary layer effect near clamped an d traction-free edges is investigated. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All r ights reserved.