Thermal stresses in a laminate composite with infinite row of parallel cracks normal to the interfaces

Under the assumption of plane strain, some linear thermoelastic problems concerning a laminate composite containing an infinite row of parallel cracks situated normal to the bond lines are solved by the use of integral transform technique. The thermal stresses are caused by a uniform heat flow disturbed by the presence of the cracks and the interfaces. The problem is reduced to that of solving a Fredholm integral equation of the second kind which is solved numerically by the use of Gaussian quadrature formulas. The effect of various quantities of physical interest on the stress intensity factor is shown graphically.Calculations are also carried out for the stress intensity factor for a laminate composite with a crack normal to the interfaces. This is accomplished by taking the limiting case of a laminate composite with an infinite row of parallel cracks normal to the interfaces.