An Elasto-Plastic Stress Analysis in a Polymer Matrix Composite Beam of Arbitrary Orientation Subjected to Transverse Linearly Distributed Load

An elasto-plastic stress analysis is carried out in a low density polyethylene thermoplastic cantilever beam of arbitrary orientation subjected to transverse linearly distributed load reinforced by Cr-Ni steel fibers analytically. In the elasto-plastic solution, the material is assumed to be perfectly plastic. The expansion of the plastic region and the residual stress component of σ _x are determined for 0°, 30°, 45°, 60° and 90° orientation angles. The yielding begins at the upper and lower surfaces of the beam at the same distances from the free end. The intensity of residual stress component of σ _x is maximum at the upper and lower surfaces but residual stress component of τ _xy is maximum on the x axis of the beam. Sample problems are given for various angles, x axis of the beam is used to obtain the location of the elasto-plastic boundary and to calculate elastic, elasto-plastic and residual normal and shear stresses.