A 3-D thermoelastic analysis of the buckling of a layer bonded to a compliant substrate and related problems

The buckling of a layer bonded to a compliant substrate into the primary strips wrinkling pattern is investigated by a 3-D thermoelastic analysis. Configurations consisting of monoclinic materials and subjected to stress fields which are either directly applied or indirectly induced due to a temperature change, are considered. A previously presented buckling-wave propagation analogy is generalized for the case of monoclinic materials and non-uniaxial states of plane-stresses and the limits of its validity are specified. Results that validate the present formulation are introduced and discussed, while considering some of the variety of problems which can be dealt with by an appropriate application of the introduced analysis. In addition, new results are presented, exploiting the possibility to examine the buckling of orthotropic layers which can be subjected to combined stresses. Furthermore, the critical temperature change and the associated wavelength are determined and compared with those based on the common interpretation of the corresponding mechanical problem.