Bending stiffness matrix

Next the bending stiffness matrix values are calculated from Equation 9.40c ... 

Symmetric angle-ply laminates were described in Section 4.3.2 and found to be characterized by a full matrix of extensional stiffnesses as well as bending stiffnesses (but of course no bending-extension coupling stiffnesses because of middle-surface symmetry). The new facet of this type of laminate as opposed to specially orthotropic laminates is the appearance of the bend-twist coupling stiffnesses D. g and D2g (the shear-extension coupling stiffnesses A. g and A2g do not affect the transverse deflection w when the laminate is symmetric). The governing differential equation of equilibrium is... 

In their pioneering paper on laminated plates, Reissner and Stavsky investigated an approximate approach (in addition to their exact approach) to calculate deflections and stresses for antisymmetric angie-ply laminated plates [5-27]. Much later, Ashton extended their approach to structural response of more general unsymmetrically laminated plates and called it the reduced stiffness matrix method [5-28]. The attraction of what is now called the Reduced Bending Stiffness (RBS) method is that an unsymmetrically laminated plate can be treated as an orthotropic plate using only a modified D matrix in the solution, i.e.,... 

The effect of the specific values of the B j can be readily calculated for some simple laminates and can be calculated without significant difficulty for many more complex laminates. The influence of bending-extension coupling can be evaluated by use of the reduced bending stiffness approximation suggested by Ashton [7-20]. If you examine the matrix manipulations for the inversion of the force-strain-curvature and moment-strain-curvature relations (see Section 4.4), you will find a definition that relates to the reduced bending stiffness approximation. You will find that you could use as the bending stiffness of the entire structure,... 

Entries of inverse of laminate stiffness matrix relating to mem-brane/bending coupling... 

Coupling terms of laminate stiffness matrix Bending terms of laminate stiffness matrix Longitudinal Young s modulus of the lamina Transverse Young s modulus of the lamina In-plane shear modulus of the lamina Out-of-plane shear modulus of lamina (in the 1-3 plane) Out-of-plane shear modulus of lamina (in 2-3 plane) Moment stress resultants per unit width Force stress resultants per unit width Laminate reduced stiffness terms Transformed reduced stiffness terms... 

It is seen that [A] is the extensional stiffness matrix, [D] is the flexural stiffness matrix and [B] is the bending-stretching coupling matrix. 

Finite element models for short fiber reinforced conposites in plane stress and bending have bean developed. Random distribution and orientation of fibers are generated by monte carlo simulation. The entries of the stiffness matrix are treated as means of associated random variables. Two numerical examples demonstrate their behaviour and limitations. Limitations of the present model have also been discussed. 

The individual laminae used by Tsai [4-6] consist of unidirectional glass fibers in a resin matrix (U.S. Polymeric Co. E-787-NUF) with moduli given in Table 2-3. A series of special cross-ply laminates was constructed with M = 1,2,3,10 for two-layered laminates and M = 1,2,5,10 for three-layered laminates. The laminates were subjected to axial loads and bending moments whereupon surface strains were measured. Accordingly, the stiffness relations as strains and curvatures in terms of forces and moments, that is. 

---