Post-buckling and nonlinear thermal stress of laminated composite by CUF

The study centers on the description of the thermal post-buckling behavior of composite structures with a particular focus on high-displacement levels and consequent stress fields. It is well known that, once a specific value of overtemperature has been reached, it is no longer possible to restrict the structural description to small displacements and rotations. In such cases, the introduction of a nonlinear geometrical relation becomes imperative, particularly for highly flexible structures. The results show the influence of the adopted expansion theory in their accuracy and the necessity of using these models combined with the nonlinear description to accurate predict the displacement and stresses field. Different geometries and materials are evaluated, and the importance of the nonlinear terms in the buckling investigation is assessed. Post-buckling configuration is described and secondary buckling deflection are also investigated.