Avoiding/inducing dynamic buckling in a thermomechanically coupled plate: a local and global analysis of slow/fast response

The nonlinear response of a reduced model of an orthotropic single-layered plate with thermomechanical coupling is investigated in the presence of thermal excitations, in addition to mechanical ones. Different issues are addressed via accurate and extended local and global analyses. (i) Assessing the possible occurrence, disappearance or modification of mechanical buckling as a result of thermal aspects; (ii) exploiting global dynamics to unveil the effects of coupling; (iii) highlighting the crucial role played by the slow thermal transient evolution in modifying the fast steady mechanical response; (iv) framing the influence of coupling and underlining the need to use a thermomechanical model to grasp the actual plate dynamics; and (v) getting hints of technical interest as to the outcome robustness with respect to variations in the external/internal thermal parameters.