Engineering Commons^™

Characterization Of Bistability Behavior In Unsymmetric Cfrp Laminates, Evan Medora

Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses

Composite laminates of unsymmetric layup families often exhibit twin stable shapes at room temperature, a phenomenon known as bistability. Unsymmetric bistable composite laminates have often been suggested for applications in aerospace morphing structures, damping, and energy storage, because of their ability to easily change their shape while being homogenized with the rest of the composite structure.

This study analyzes the mechanisms responsible for bistability in unsymmetrical [0/0/90/90] laminates through a combination of experiments and modeling. Several unsymmetrical laminates with different aspect ratios were fabricated using autoclave processing. Digital image correlation (DIC) is used to monitor laminate strains in situ during …