Aerothermoelastic analysis of composite laminates with variable fiber spacing

This study presents the effects of variable fiber spacing on the thermal postbuckling, vibration, and flutter behaviors of composite laminates subjected to aerodynamic force and thermal stress. A 54 degree-of-freedom high order triangular plate element is developed based on the Von Karman large deflection assumptions and quasi-steady supersonic aerodynamic theory. The numerical results reveal that the redistribution of fibers can dramatically increase the critical buckling temperature, and efficiently increase the natural frequencies and flutter boundary. The sequence of the natural mode may be altered and the frequency coalescence pair may change. The stability boundary is different and some specific phenomena are discussed.