The solution of ordinary differential equations arising from stress transfer mechanics.

Abstract

Stress transfer in a multiphase unidirectional composite has been modelled by a concentric cylinder technique, whereby the fibre, surrounding matrix and surrounding composite are represented by a series of concentric cylinders. The cylinders are assumed to be perfectly bonded together and the case where loading causes the fibre to crack has been considered. This model generates a system of simultaneous fourth order ordinary differential equations with appropriate boundary conditions. The purpose of this report is to describe a semi-analytic method for solving these differential equations.