Local and global nonlinear dynamics of thermomechanically coupled composite plates in passive thermal regime

Unified 2D continuum formulation of the nonlinear dynamic problem for a von Kármán shear indeformable symmetric cross-ply composite plate in a thermomechanical environment is presented, along with the ensuing reduction procedure ending up to a three-mode discretized model with unknown transverse displacement and membrane/bending temperatures. Systematic numerical analyses in the case of thermal dynamics passively entrained by the solely active mechanical excitations allow to unveil the main features of the nonlinear response, while highlighting fundamental aspects associated with the thermomechanical coupling. Local and global dynamics of a single-layer orthotropic plate are investigated under varying in-plane/transverse excitations or thermal property of the material. Comparison with the response provided by partially coupled models and the uncoupled mechanical oscillator enables to identify situations in which thermomechanical coupling affects the nonlinear response even in the solely passive thermal setting and to frame the relevant effects within known literature results.