A Finite Element Approach for Thermal-Structural Response in Fibre Reinforced Composite Systems

This paper presents a finite element analysis of coupled and semi-coupled thermal structural response of composite laminated plates. Our purpose is to use the results in order to quantify and’ calibrate’ the SPATE ( Stress Pattern Analysis by Thermal Emission ) experimental procedure. SPATE uses the thermoelastic effect, first quantified by Lord Kelvin [1], in order to obtain the stress distribution in a structure. Unfortunately the application of SPATE as NDT method on composite materials has so far been limited. The main problem has been identified to be associated with the existence of true adiabatic conditions, therefore the valid application of Kelvin’s law and the specimen motion due to the cyclic loading, known as’ motion effect’ [2-4].