Failure criteria of fibre reinforced composites in homogenous temperature field

The present paper examines the failure criteria of layered composites with orthotropic properties in the homogeneous temperature field. The composite has modeled by two mechanically equivalent families of fibres. The paper formulates constitutive equations in terms of intrinsic “preferred” directions, which are defined by the orientation of fibers at any point of the composite. A uniformly heated, thermoelastic solid undergoes distortion as well as volume change because it experiences differential expansions in different directions. This effect is more complicated if, in addition of being anisotropic, the material is inhomogeneous, as in the case with laminated materials. In order to illustrate the influence of temperature on the failure of this group of materials constitutive equations are derived and adopted for use in failure criteria, without the influence of temperatures, and with the influence of increased temperature.