ABSTRACT

This chapter addresses composite beams, columns, and rings. It describes the longitudinal and transverse flexural vibrations of composite beams. Relatively small dimensions of the beam cross section allow the formulation of a system of hypotheses determining the displacement and stress distributions over the cross section. High-modulus composite materials reinforced with carbon and boron fibers are successfully used for the production of composite beam structures and for stiffening metal beams. Sometimes composite materials are used in the form of a unidirectional bundle reinforcing a metal beam cross section. As a rule, aluminumalloy cross sections are reinforced with boron fibers having a high elastic modulus. Composite rings made by filament winding are widely used as elements of stiffened shells, flywheels, and other structures. The failure of laminated beams in bending is often accompanied by delamination. The maximum difference between formulas occurs for nonhomogeneous beams with maximum difference in shear stiffnesses between layers.