Abstract
A general formulation for the finite element analysis of heat transfer prob lems in anisotropic laminated composite materials is presented. Two-dimensional analyses using quadrilateral isoparametric elements are performed for two classes of problems: laser cutting of laminates and non-destructive testing using thermography. Results show complex temperature distributions near the laser beam. The size of the heat affected zone is estimated and the power required to cut is shown to depend on the orientation of the fibers relative to the cutting direction. Temperature distributions in laminates with delaminations subjected to heat flow through the thickness, are shown to be strongly af fected by the location of the delamination.
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