Analysis of the Bi-Stable Hybrid Laminate under Thermal Load

Abstract

Adaptive structures have the ability to modify their shapes in different operational conditions. Multi-stable structures are one of the methods of making adaptive structures. In the bi-stable square laminates, due to geometric symmetry and equality of strain energy between stable states, it is possible to continue actuating between stable states, specially when using dynamic or thermal load. The bi-stability of the hybrid square laminated structure with the stacking sequence of [0/90/Al] is asymmetric. This leads to inequality of strain energy in stable states and therefore, development of an effective method to control and avoid automatic actuating. In this paper, the deformation and strain energy of the bi-stable hybrid square laminated structure is investigated. To show the effect of elastic boundary condition, a similar section with the stacking sequence of [0/0/Al] is connected to the mentioned hybrid laminate. The effects of the temperature, the presence of an aluminum layer and its thickness on the potential multiple shapes are also studied. To check the accuracy, the bi-stability behavior is investigated using finite element analysis and the results are compared with the experimental data.