• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.429-445
• /
• 2009

Thermal stability of quasi-isotropic composite and polymeric structures is considered one of the most important criteria in predicting life span of building structures. The outdoor applications of these structures have raised some legitimate concerns about their durability including moisture resistance and thermal stability. Exposure of such quasi-isotropic composite/polymeric structures to various and severe climatic conditions such as heat flux and frigid climate would change the material behavior and thermal viability and may lead to the degradation of material properties and building durability. This paper presents an analytical model for the generalized problem. This model accommodates the non-linearity and the non-homogeneity of the internal heat generated within the structure and the changes, modification to the material constants, and the structural size. The paper also investigates the effect of the incorporation of the temperature and/or material constant sensitive internal heat generation with four encountered climatic conditions on thermal stability of infinite cylindrical quasi-isotropic composite/polymeric structures. This can eventually result in the failure of such structures. Detailed critical analyses for four case studies which consider the population of the internal heat generation, cylindrical size, material constants, and four different climatic conditions are carried out. For each case of the proposed boundary conditions, the critical thermal stability parameter is determined. The results of this paper indicate that the thermal stability parameter is critically dependent on the cylinder size, material constants/selection, the convective heat transfer coefficient, subjected heat flux and other constants accrued from the structure environment.