Thermoelastic properties in combined bending and extension of thin composite laminates with transverse matrix cracks

Approximate analytic expressions for the thermoelastic properties in combined bending and extension of composite laminates containing transverse matrix cracks are derived. The model covers two-dimensional laminates of arbitrary lay-up sequences. The derived expressions for the compliances and thermal expansion coefficients merely contain ply property data and crack distributions. In order to check the accuracy and reliability of the presented analytic method, some sample cracked geometries were examined by use of the finite element method. A good agreement was found between the numerically and analytically obtained results for all cases under consideration. 0 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.