Variational-asymptotic modeling of the thermoelastic behavior of composite beams

This paper deals with steady state thermoelastic problems in composite beam structure by using variational-asymptotic method. First, the original three-dimensional heat conduction problem is reduced to be a two-dimensional thermal cross-sectional analysis along with an optional one-dimensional heat conduction analysis. The one-dimensional heat conduction analysis exists only if the temperature is not prescribed at any point of the cross-section along the span except the end surfaces. Then we reduce the one-way coupled, three-dimensional thermoelasticity problem into a two-dimensional, one-way coupled thermoelastic cross-sectional analysis and a one-dimensional, one-way coupled, thermoelastic beam analysis. The present theory is implemented into the computer program, variational-asymptotic beam sectional analysis (VABS). Several examples are studied using the present theory and the results from VABS are compared with available analytical solutions and the three-dimensional analysis using the commercial finite element package ANSYS.