Multicriteria optimization of a rectangular composite plate subjected to longitudinal thermal stresses and buckling in shear loading

The multicriteria optimization of the structure and geometry of a laminated anisotropic composite plate subjected to thermal and shear loading is considered. From the known properties of the monolayer and given values of variable structural parameters, the thermoelastic properties of the layered composite are determined. The optimization criteria — the critical shear load and the longitudinal thermal stresses — depend on two variable design parameters of composite properties and temperature. In the space of optimization criteria, the domain of allowable solutions and the Pareto-optimal subregion are found. __________ Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 43, No. 1, pp. 85–92, January–February, 2007.     

Multicriteria optimization of a composite cylindrical shell subjected to longitudinal thermal stresses and buckling under the action of torque

The multicriteria optimization of the structure and geometry of a multilayer cylindrical shell under the action of external torque and longitudinal thermal stresses is considered. From known monolayer properties of the composite and given values of variable structural and geometric parameters, the thermoelastic properties of the anisotropic layered composite are determined. The criteria to be optimized — the critical external torque and thermal stresses — depend on two variable parameters and temperature. In the space of optimization criteria, the domain of allowable solutions and the Pareto-optimal subdomain are found. Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 45, No. 2, pp. 223–230, March–April, 2009.     

Multicriteria optimization of a composite cylindrical shell under an external pressure and longitudinal thermal stresses

The multicriteria optimization of the structure and geometry of a laminated cylindrical shell under the action of external pressure and longitudinal thermal stresses is considered. From the known monolayer properties of the composite and the given values of variable structural and geometric parameters, the thermoelastic properties of the anisotropic layered composite are determined. The criteria to be optimized — the critical external pressure and thermal stresses — depend on two variable parameters and temperature. In the space of optimization criteria, the domain of allowable solutions and the Pareto-optimal subdomain are found. __________ Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 42, No. 4, pp. 495–502, July–August, 2006.     

Multicriteria Optimal Design of a Rectangular Composite Plate Subjected to Biaxial and Thermal Loading

Multicriteria optimization of the structure and geometry of a laminated anisotropic composite plate subjected to the thermal and biaxial action is considered. From known properties of the monolayer and the given values of variable structural parameters, the thermoelastic properties of the layered composite are determined. The criteria to be optimized—the transverse critical load and the longitudinal thermal stresses—depend on two variable design parameters of composite properties and temperature. In the space of the optimization criteria, the domain of allowable solutions and the Pareto-optimal subdomain are found. __________ Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 41, No. 5, pp. 683–690, September–October, 2005.     

Experimental and theoretical investigation of a composite beam for bridge structures

Results of an experimental and theoretical investigation of composite beams as elements of bridge superstructure are presented. Experiments on beams of two types — made of wood and the same beams with a composite sheath — were carried out. The rigidity of the beams of the second type was about twice as high as that of the first ones. The classical bending model of composite beams gave deflections smaller than experimental ones. To reconcile these results, the model is refined by including the effect of shear. The deflections are represented as classical ones multiplied by a shear factor which depends on the bending and shear stiffnesses and the span length of the beams. As a result, a good agreement between calculations and experiments is achieved. __________ Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 42, No. 4, pp. 449–462, July–August, 2006.     

Multicriteria optimization of a composite cylindrical shell subjected to thermal and dynamic actions

Multicriteria optimization of the structure and geometry of a laminated anisotropic composite shell subjected to thermal and dynamic actions is considered. From the known properties of monolayers and the given values of variable structural and geometric parameters, the thermoelastic properties of the layered anisotropic composite are determined. The criteria to be optimized—the natural frequency and the thermal stresses—depend on two variable design parameters, stochastic properties of the composite, and temperature. In the space of the optimization criteria, the domain of allowable solutions and the Pareto-optimal region are found.Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 40, No. 6, pp. 753–760, November–December, 2004.     

Effect of surface modification of fibers with a polymer coating on the interlaminar shear strength of a composite and the translation of fiber strength in an F-12 aramid/epoxy composite vessel

The surface of aramid fibers was modified with a polymer coating — a surface treatment reagent containing epoxy resin. The resulting fibers were examined by using NOL tests, hydroburst tests, and the scanning electron microscopy. The modified fibers had a rougher surface than the untreated ones. The interlaminar shear strength of an aramid-fiber-reinforced epoxy composite was highest when the concentration of polymer coating system was 5%. The translation of fiber strength in an aramid/epoxy composite vessel was improved by 8%. The mechanism of the surface treatment of fibers in improving the mechanical properties of aramid/epoxy composites is discussed. Russian translation publeshed in Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 42, No. 6, pp. 729–738, November–December, 2006.     

Effect of viscosity of a thermoplastic prepreg and matrix upon winding of rings

The problem of compression of a unidirectional layer and shear of a polymer interlayer during winding of rings is considered. The equations determining the dependence of the layer thickness and stresses on the parameters entering into the power flow law for a prepreg and polymer matrix and on the basic parameters of the winding process—the initial tension of the prepreg, its placement rate, and the radius of a mandrel—are derived. The ring thickness measurements obtained at various temperatures and initial tension forces of plies confirm the adequacy of the model offered. It is found that the viscous properties of the prepreg and matrix upon winding affect the relative change in the layer thickness to a greater extent than the stresses in these layers. With increase in temperature and tension force upon winding, the effect of viscous deformations of the prepreg and matrix increases. A decrease in viscosity and an increase in the tension force of the tape lead to a higher strength of the ring in tension and interlaminar shear; however, the growing percolation of the polymer melt leads to a greater inhomogeneity of the structure of the composite in the ring and to a lower reinforcing effect of the factors mentioned. Presented at the 11th International Conference on Mechanics of Composite Materials (Riga, June 11–15, 2000). Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 36, No. 3, pp. 419–428, 2000.     

Characteristics of four-dimensional normal distribution of properties of composite in stochastic compromise optimization

In a numerical example of compromise optimization by computerized mathematical modeling (2000 realizations) for a known deterministic solution, in the case of an isotropic spatially reinforced porous composite, certain scatter characteristics of the optimal solution have been established, namely four standard deviations and six coefficients of linear correlation for four properties—density, modulus of elasticity, thermal conductivity, and linear thermal expansion coefficient. Of the 17 input data (parameters of the composite components), 10 are stochastic, the others deterministic. An equation is presented for the four-dimensional hyperellipsoid of normal distribution with numerical values of the coefficients, as well as all invariants and roots of the characteristic equation, the matrix of direction cosines of the principal axes of the hyperellipsoid, and the lengths of the principal semiaxes, depending on the dimensionality of the scattering region and the assigned probability P. The four-dimensional hyperellipsoid has been projected onto three-dimensional space and then onto a plane. A section of the scattering region has been constructed. Institute of Polymer Mechanics, Latvian Academy of Sciences, Riga LV-1006, Latvia. Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, No. 5, pp. 625–635, September–October, 1996.     

Yield condition for circular cylindrical shells made of a fiber-reinforced composite

A yield condition is obtained for circular cylindrical shells made of a definite class of fiber-reinforced composite material whose components possess plastic properties. It is shown that, in the plane of generalized stresses — the axial bending moment and the circumferential force (when the axial force is absent) — the yield curve consists of two linear and four curvilinear sections. By approximating the curvilinear sections, we get a piecewise linear yield condition described by a hexagon in the plane indicated. The nonlinear equations and the corresponding piecewise linear equations of the yield condition for particular cases are given in the form of tables. In solving specific boundary-value problems, we consider a circular cylindrical shell simply supported at its ends and loaded with a uniform internal pressure, for which the load-carrying capacity is determined in relation to the mechanical properties of composite components and some characteristic geometrical parameters. The results of numerical calculations are represented in the form of graphs. __________ Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 42, No. 5, pp. 655–666, September–October, 2006.     

Correlation between the strength of fiber-reinforced plastics and the adhesive strength of fiber—Matrix joints

The relationship between the strength (σc) of unidirectional fiber-reinforced plastics in different stressed states and the interfacial strength of their components is investigated. The shear adhesive strength (τ0) of fiber—matrix joints determined by the pull-out technique is used as a measure of the interfacial strength. To obtain the correlation curves betweenσc andτ0, the experimental results are used, where both the plastic and adhesive strength change under the influence of a single factor. In this case, such factors are the fiber surface treatment, nature and composition of polymer matrices, and test temperature. It is shown that the strength of the glass, carbon, and boron plastics increases practically linearly with increased interfacial strength. Such a behavior is observed in any loading conditions (tension, shear, bending, and compression). Sometimes, a small (10–20%) increase in the adhesive strength induces a significant (50–70%) growth in the material strength. Therefore, the interface is the “weak link” in these composites. The shape of theσc—τ0 curves for composites based on the high-strength and high-modulus aramid fibers and different thermoreactive matrices depends on the nature of the fiber and the type of stress state. In many cases, the composite strength does not depend on the interfacial strength. Then, the fiber itself is the “weak link” in these composites. Submitted to the 11th International Conference on Mechanics of Composite Materials (Riga, June 11–15, 2000). Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 36, No. 3, pp. 291–304, May–June, 2000.     

Nonlinear buckling behavior of 3D-braided composite cylindrical shells subjected to internal pressure loads in thermal environments

The nonlinear buckling behavior of a 3D-braided composite cylindrical shell of finite length subjected to internal pressure in thermal environments is considered. According to a new micromacromechanical model, a 3D-braided composite may be treated as a cell system where the geometry of each cell strongly depends on its position in the cross section of the cylindrical shell. The material properties of the epoxy matrix are expressed as linear functions of temperature. The governing equations are based on Reddy’s higher-order shear deformation theory of shells with a von Karman–Donnell-type kinematic nonlinearity and include thermal effects. The singular perturbation technique is employed to determine the buckling pressure and the postbuckling equilibrium paths of the shell.     

Spatial braiding of cylindrical articles

The effective deformative characteristics of spatially reinforced composites made by spatial braiding along the generatrices of a one-sheet hyperboloid are analyzed. The geometrical relationships determining the structure of a unit cell of a braided composite are derived. The effective thermoelastic characteristics are calculated by the method of orientational averaging. The dependences of the bending and torsional stiffnesses of thick-walled cylindrical rods — made by the method suggested and by winding — on the braiding/winding angle are compared. The numerical estimations are given for rods made of carbon (CFRP) and aramid (AFRP) epoxy plastics. Submitted to the 11th International Conference on Mechanics of Composite Materials (Riga, June 11–15, 2000). Translated from Mekhanika Kompzitnykh Materialov, Vol. 36, No. 3, pp. 341–354, May–June, 2000.     

Axiomatizations of the Euclidean compromise solution

A multicriteria optimization problem is one of choosing an alternative that optimizes several—possibly conflicting—objective functions simultaneously. The utopia point of a multicriteria optimization problem is the vector that specifies for each objective function the most favorable feasible value. The Euclidean compromise solution in multicriteria optimization is a solution that selects from a feasible set the alternative such that its vector of criteria values has minimal Euclidean distance to the utopia point. This paper provides several axiomatic characterizations of the Euclidean compromise solution that are based on consistency properties.     

Measuring and modeling the thermal conductivities of three-dimensionally woven fabric composites

The effect of a three-dimensional fiber reinforcement on the out-of-plane thermal conductivity of composite materials is investigated. Composite preforms with different fibers in the thickness direction were fabricated. After in fusion by using a vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding process, their through-thickness thermal conductivities were evaluated. The measured thermal conductivities showed a significant increase compared with those of a typical laminated composite. Although the through-thickness thermal conductivity of the samples increased with through-thickness fiber volume fraction, its values did not match those predicted by the simple rule of mixtures. By using finite-element models to better under stand the behavior of the composite material, improvements in an existing analytical model were performed to predict the effective thermal conductivity as a function of material properties and in-contact thermal properties of the composite. Russian translation published in Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 45, No. 2, pp. 241–254, March–April, 2009.     

Self-adhesion of amorphous polymers and their miscible blends

The amorphous film surfaces of polystyrene (PS), poly(2,6-dimethyl 1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO), and their miscible blends are brought into overlap contact below the glass transition temperature T _g for 10 min and 24 h in order to obtain PS—PS, PPO—PPO, and blend—blend self-adhesive joints. It is shown that after the contact of the blend surfaces, i.e., when the molecules of both PS and PPO are present at the interface, it is possible to attain higher values of shear strength as compared with those at PS—PS and PPO—PPO interfaces. This points to the contribution of a specific interaction between the segments of PS and PPO to the strength development at the interface. Submitted to the 11th International Conference on Mechanics of Composite Materials (Riga, June 11–15, 2000). Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 36, No. 1, pp. 127–135, 2000.     

Thermal conductivity of micro-and nanostructural epoxy composites at low temperatures

The thermal conductivity of epoxy composites containing not only the traditional fillers quartz, talc, carbon black, and aerosil, but also the very promising carbon nanomaterials is investigated. Two kinds of carbon nanomaterials — multi-wall (MWNT) and single-wall (SWNT) carbon nanotubes — were considered. The influence of their content (from 0.05 to 3.0 wt.%) on the thermal conductivity of MWNT-epoxy composites was studied. The thermal conductivity of epoxy composites was examined in the temperature range from −150 to 150°C. It was found that the introduction of 0.1–1.0 wt.% MWNT enhanced the thermal conductivity of pure epoxy resin by about 40%. A further increase in content of the nanotubes decreased the thermal conductivity. This can be explained by the worsening of nanotube dispersion at their high concentrations. The maximum growth in the thermal conductivity of the epoxy composites, on the entire range of temperatures considered, was observed at a 0.1 wt.% content of MWNT. __________ Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 44, No. 1, pp. 117–126, January–February, 2008.     

Structural elastic and creep models of a UD composite in longitudinal shear

The transient creep of a UD composite with a quadratic arrangement of elastic fibers of quadratic cross section is investigated. The deformational properties of the composite are determined from the known properties of its constituents. A structural model of the UD composite is developed, whose minimal elementary cell contains four elements. The stress-strain state of the elements is assumed homogeneous. Two types of basic and resolving governing equations of transient creep are deduced, which are based on static or kinematic assumptions. In each of the cases, a formula for the longitudinal elastic shear modulus of the composite is found. The stationary solutions of creep equations allow one to obtain formulas of the steady-state creep of the composite in a form similar to Norton’s law. Numerical calculations are also performed, and a comparison of the results with data given in the literature bears witness to the efficiency of the models developed and the solutions obtained. __________ Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 43, No. 4, pp. 437–448, July–August, 2007.     

On Second-Order Optimality Conditions for Vector Optimization

In this article, two second-order constraint qualifications for the vector optimization problem are introduced, that come from first-order constraint qualifications, originally devised for the scalar case. The first is based on the classical feasible arc constraint qualification, proposed by Kuhn and Tucker (Proceedings of the Second Berkeley Symposium on Mathematical Statistics and Probability, vol. 1, pp. 481–492, University of California Press, California, 1951) together with a slight modification of McCormick’s second-order constraint qualification. The second—the constant rank constraint qualification—was introduced by Janin (Math. Program. Stud. 21:110–126, 1984). They are used to establish two second-order necessary conditions for the vector optimization problem, with general nonlinear constraints, without any convexity assumption.     

Application of the method of conditional moments to investigating the deformation properties of orthotropic composites with fiber microdamages

A model of deformation of stochastic composites subjected to microdamage is developed for the case of orthotropic materials with microdamages accumulating in the fibers. The composite is treated as a matrix strengthened with elliptic fibers with orthotropic elastic properties. The fractured microvolumes are modeled by a system of randomly distributed quasi-spherical pores. The porosity balance equation and relations for determining the effective elastic moduli for the case of a fibrous composite with orthotropic components are used as the fundamental relations. The fracture criterion is given as a limit value of the intensity of average shear stresses occurring in the undamaged part of the material, which is assumed to be a random function of coordinates and is described by the Weibull distribution. Based on an analytical and numerical approach, the algorithm for determining the nonlinear deformation properties of such a material is constructed. The nonlinearity of composite deformations is caused by the accumulation of microdamages in the fibers. By using a numerical solution, the nonlinear stress–strain diagrams for an orthotropic composite in uniaxial tension are obtained. Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, Vol. 45, No. 1, pp. 17–30, January–February, 2009.