Nonlinear Thermal Free Vibration Analysis of SMA-Embedded Damaged Laminated Composite and Experimental Verification

This research adopted full-scale nonlinearity via Green’s strain in Lagrangian scope to model functional composite structures with and without the crack type of damage. The solutions of linear and nonlinear frequencies under elevated environments have been evaluated numerically using the finite element technique in association with the direct iterative method. The predicted numerical solution accuracies are verified with in-house experimentation using a few fabricated shape memory alloys (SMA) fiber-reinforced composite with and without damage. The experimental verifications indicate the proposed model’s accuracy while the structure experiences large deformation and elevated environmental conditions. Also, the study reveals the importance of functional material in altering predamaged layered composite structural strength due to temperature. The solutions can predict the nonlinear structural frequencies of the damaged composite bonded with foreign functional fiber.