Hygrothermal analysis of a semi-infinite cylinder: an integral transform approach

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of moisture and temperature changes on the behavior of a semi-infinite solid cylinder made of T300/5208 composite material. This study aims to provide analytical solutions for temperature, moisture and thermal stress through the de-coupling technique and the method of integral transforms. Both coupled and uncoupled cases are considered. Design/methodology/approach This study investigates the hygrothermo-elastic response of a semi-infinite solid circular cylinder using an integral transform technique that includes Hankel and Fourier transforms. The cylinder is subjected to prescribed sources, and a numerical algorithm is developed for the numerical computation of the results. The goal is to understand how the cylinder responds to changes in temperature and moisture. Findings The paper presents an analytical solution for temperature, moisture and thermal stress in a semi-infinite solid cylinder obtained through the use of an integral transform technique. The study focuses on a graphite fiber-reinforced epoxy matrix composite material (T300/5208) and discusses the coupled and uncoupled effects of temperature, moisture and thermal stress on the material. The results of the transient response hygrothermo-elastic field are presented graphically to provide a visual representation of the findings. Research limitations/implications The research presented in this article is primarily hypothetical and focused on the analysis of mathematical models. Originality/value To the authors' best knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the hygrothermal effect in a semi-infinite circular cylinder. Additionally, the material properties used in the analysis are both homogenous and isotropic and independent of both temperature and moisture. These unique aspects of the study make it a novel contribution to the field.