Modeling spatially varying uncertainty in composite structures using lamination parameters

Scarth, C. and Adhikari, S. (2017) Modeling spatially varying uncertainty in composite structures using lamination parameters. AIAA Journal, 55(11), pp. 3951-3965. (doi: 10.2514/1.J055705)

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Abstract

An approach is presented for modeling spatially varying uncertainty in the ply orientations of composite structures. Lamination parameters are used with the aim of reducing the required number of random variables. Karhunen–Loève expansion is employed to decompose the uncertainty in each ply into a sum of random variables and spatially dependent functions. An intrusive polynomial chaos expansion is proposed to approximate the lamination parameters while preserving the separation of the random and spatial dependency. Closed-form expressions are derived for the expansion coefficients in two case studies; an initial example in which uncertainty is modeled using random variables, and a second random field example. The approach is compared against Monte Carlo simulation results for a variety of layups as well as closed-form expressions for the mean and covariance. By summing the polynomial chaos basis functions through the laminate thickness, the separation of the random and spatial dependency may be preserved at a laminate level and the number of random variables reduced for some minimum number of plies. The number of variables increases nonlinearly with the number of Karhunen–Loève expansion terms, and as such, the approach is only beneficial in low-order expansions using relatively few Karhunen–Loève expansion terms.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Adhikari, Professor Sondipon
Authors: Scarth, C., and Adhikari, S.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Engineering > Infrastructure and Environment
Journal Name:AIAA Journal
Publisher:American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc.
ISSN:0001-1452
ISSN (Online):1533-385X
Published Online:19 July 2017

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