Bending response of functionally graded plates by using a new higher order shear deformation theory

This paper presents an analytical solution to the static analysis of functionally graded plates, using a recently developed higher order shear deformation theory (HSDT) and provides detailed comparisons with other HSDT’s available in the literature. These theories account for adequate distribution of the transverse shear strains through the plate thickness and tangential stress-free boundary conditions on the plate boundary surfaces, thus a shear correction factor is not required. The mechanical properties of the plates are assumed to vary in the thickness direction according to a power-law distribution in terms of the volume fractions of the constituents. The governing equations of a functionally graded (FG) plate and boundary conditions are derived by employing the principle of virtual work. Navier-type analytical solution is obtained for FG plates subjected to transverse bi-sinusoidal and distributed loads for simply supported boundary conditions. Results are provided for thick to thin FG plates and for different volume fraction distributions. The accuracy of the present code is verified by comparing it with known results in the literature.     

A meshfree radial point interpolation method for analysis of functionally graded material (FGM) plates

A meshfree model is presented for the static and dynamic analyses of functionally graded material (FGM) plates based on the radial point interpolation method (PIM). In the present method, the mid-plane of an FGM plate is represented by a set of distributed nodes while the material properties in its thickness direction are computed analytically to take into account their continuous variations from one surface to another. Several examples are successfully analyzed for static deflections, natural frequencies and dynamic responses of FGM plates with different volume fraction exponents and boundary conditions. The convergence rate and accuracy are studied and compared with the finite element method (FEM). The effects of the constituent fraction exponent on static deflection as well as natural frequency are also investigated in detail using different FGM models. Based on the current material gradient, it is found that as the volume fraction exponent increases, the mechanical characteristics of the FGM plate approach those of the pure metal plate blended in the FGM.     

A quasi-3D hyperbolic shear deformation theory for the static and free vibration analysis of functionally graded plates

This paper presents an original hyperbolic sine shear deformation theory for the bending and free vibration analysis of functionally graded plates. The theory accounts for through-the-thickness deformations.     

An extension to classical lamination theory for use with functionally graded plates

An extension to classical lamination theory is presented for the improved analysis of thin to moderately thick functionally graded plates. The method results in an explicit formulation that accommodates any through-thickness variation in the elastic, hygrothermal and piezoelectric properties of each layer. Additionally, variations in the material rotation angle, temperature, moisture content and electric field strength through each layer are taken into account. The method relies on representing with polynomial series the variation in both the properties of each ply and the hygrothermal and piezoelectric loading. Validation problems are presented that demonstrate the application and accuracy of the method.     

Thermal effects on nonlinear vibrations of functionally graded doubly curved shells using higher order shear deformation theory

Geometrically nonlinear vibrations of functionally graded (FG) doubly curved shells subjected to thermal variations and harmonic excitation are investigated via multi-modal energy approach. Two different nonlinear higher-order shear deformation theories are considered and it is assumed that the shell is simply supported with movable edges. Using Lagrange equations of motion, the energy functional is reduced to a system of infinite nonlinear ordinary differential equations with quadratic and cubic nonlinearities which is truncated based on solution convergence. A pseudo-arclength continuation and collocation scheme is employed to obtain numerical solutions for shells subjected to static and harmonic loads. The effects of FGM power law index, thickness ratio and temperature variations on the frequency–amplitude nonlinear response are fully discussed and it is revealed that, for relatively thick and deep shells, the Amabili–Reddy theory which retains all the nonlinear terms in the in-plane displacements gives different and more accurate results.     

Static analysis of functionally graded plates using third-order shear deformation theory and a meshless method

The collocation multiquadric radial basis functions are used to analyze static deformations of a simply supported functionally graded plate modeled by a third-order shear deformation theory. The plate material is made of two isotropic constituents with their volume fractions varying only in the thickness direction. The macroscopic response of the plate is taken to be isotropic and the effective properties of the composite are derived either by the rule of mixtures or by the Mori–Tanaka scheme. Effects of aspect ratio of the plate and the volume fractions of the constituents on the centroidal deflection are scrutinized. When Poisson’s ratios of the two constituents are nearly equal, then the two homogenization techniques give results that are close to each other. However, for widely varying Poisson’s ratios of the two constituents, the two homogenization schemes give quite different results. The computed results are found to agree well with the solution of the problem by an alternative meshless method.     

Dispersion spectrum in a functionally graded carbon nanotube-reinforced plate based on first-order shear deformation plate theory

This paper investigates the dispersion behavior of the guide waves in a functionally graded nanocomposite plate reinforced with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) based on the first-order shear deformation plate theory (FSDPT). The governing equations of motion are expressed in the state space formulation and are then solved by employing the reverberation-ray matrix method. Unlike the traditional state space method, the present approach is unconditionally stable due to the introduction of a dual system of local coordinates in the plate. The present analysis is validated through direct comparisons with the existing results, and a parametric study is conducted to show the influences of the volume fraction and distribution model of the SWCNT reinforcement, plate aspect ratio, and boundary condition on the dispersion behavior of the plate.     

The influence of the normal strain effect on the control and design optimization of functionally graded plates

A multiobjective design and control optimization problem for functionally graded (FG) plates is presented using a first-order plate theory including the normal strain effect. The aim of the optimization is to minimize the vibrational response and to maximize the buckling loads of FG plates with constraints on the control energy and plate thickness. An integrated approach for the simultaneous design and active control optimization is presented to determine the optimal level of a closed loop control function. Plate thickness and a homogeneity parameter of FG plates are used as design variables. Numerical results for the optimal control force and the total energy of FG plates are presented in various cases of boundary conditions. The influence of the normal strain effect on the accuracy of the obtained results is illustrated. The effectiveness of the present control and design procedures are examined.     

Optimisation of sandwich panels with functionally graded core and faces

The distributions of properties across the thickness (core) and in the plane (face sheets) that minimise the interlaminar stresses at the interface with the core are determined solving the Euler–Lagrange equations of an optimisation problem in which the membrane and transverse shear energy contributions are made stationary. The bending stiffness is maximised, while the energy due to interlaminar stresses is minimised. As structural model, a refined zig-zag model with a high-order variation of displacements is employed. Simplified, sub-optimal distributions obtainable with current manufacturing processes appear effective for reducing the critical interfacial stress concentration, as shown by the numerical applications.     

A new inverse trigonometric shear deformation theory for isotropic and functionally graded sandwich plates

A new inverse trigonometric shear deformation theory is proposed for the static, buckling and free vibration analyses of isotropic and functionally graded (FG) sandwich plates. It accounts for a inverse trigonometric distribution of transverse shear stress and satisfies the traction free boundary conditions. Equations of motion obtained here are solved for three types of FG plates: FG plates, sandwich plates with FG core and sandwich plates with FG faces. Closed-form solutions are obtained to predict the deflections, stresses, critical buckling loads and natural frequencies of simply supported plates. A good agreement between the obtained predictions and the available solutions of existing shear deformation theories is found to demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed theory.     

Free vibration and stability of functionally graded plates according to a 2-D higher-order deformation theory

Natural frequencies and buckling stresses of plates made of functionally graded materials (FGMs) are analyzed by taking into account the effects of transverse shear and normal deformations and rotatory inertia. The modulus of elasticity of the plates is assumed to vary according to a power-law distribution in terms of the volume fractions of the constituents. By using the method of power series expansion of displacement components, a set of fundamental dynamic equations of a two-dimensional (2-D) higher-order theory for rectangular functionally graded (FG) plates is derived through Hamilton’s principle. Several sets of truncated approximate theories are applied to solve the eigenvalue problems of FG plates with simply supported edges. In order to assure the accuracy of the present theory, convergence properties of the fundamental natural frequency are examined in detail. Critical buckling stresses of FG plates subjected to in-plane stresses are also obtained and a relation between the buckling stress and natural frequency of simply supported FG plates without in-plane stresses is presented. The distributions of modal displacements and modal stresses in the thickness direction are obtained accurately by satisfying the surface boundary conditions of a plate. The modal transverse stresses have been obtained by integrating the three-dimensional equations of motion in the thickness direction starting from the top or bottom surface of a plate. The present numerical results are also verified by satisfying the energy balance of external and internal works are considered to be sufficient with respect to the accuracy of solutions. It is noticed that the present 2-D higher-order approximate theories can predict accurately the natural frequencies and buckling stresses of simply supported FG plates.     

Thermal post-buckling analysis of functionally graded material elliptical plates based on high-order shear deformation theory

Thermal post-buckling analysis is first presented for functionally graded elliptical plates based on high-order shear deformation theory in different thermal environments. Material properties are assumed to be temperature-dependent and graded in the thickness direction. Ritz method is employed to determine the central deflection-temperature curves, the validity of which can be confirmed by comparison with related researchers' results; it is worth noting that the forms of approximate solutions are well chosen in consideration of both simplicity and accuracy. Influences played by different supported boundaries, thermal environmental conditions, ratio of major to minor axis, and volume fraction index are discussed in detail.     

Three-dimensional thermomechanical buckling analysis for functionally graded composite plates

Three-dimensional thermomechanical buckling analysis is investigated for functionally graded composite structures that composed of ceramic, functionally graded material (FGM), and metal layers. Material properties are assumed to be temperature dependent, and in FGM layer, they are varied continuously in the thickness direction according to a simple power law distribution in terms of the ceramic and metal volume fractions. The finite element model is adopted by using an 18-node solid element to analyze more accurately the variation of material properties and temperature field in the thickness direction. Temperature at each node is obtained by solving the thermomechanical equations. For a time discretization, Crank–Nicolson method is used. In numerical results, the thermal buckling behavior of FGM composite structures due to FGM thickness ratios, volume fraction distributions, and system geometric parameters are analyzed.     

Three-dimensional free vibration analysis of functionally graded annular sector plates with general boundary conditions

The main purpose of this paper is to investigate free vibration behaviors of functionally graded sector plates with general boundary conditions in the context of three-dimensional theory of elasticity. Generally, the material properties of functionally graded sector plates are assumed to vary continuously and smoothly in thickness direction. However, the changes in the material properties may occur in the other directions, such as radial direction. Therefore, two types of functionally graded annular sector plates are considered in the paper. In this work, both the Voigt model and Mori-Tanaka scheme are adopted to evaluate the effective material properties. Each of displacements of annular sector plate, regardless of boundary conditions, is expressed as modified Fourier series which consists of three-dimensional Fourier cosine series plus several auxiliary functions introduced to overcome the discontinuity problems of the displacement and its derivatives at edges. To ensure the validity and accuracy of the method, numerous examples for isotropic and functionally graded sector plates with various boundary conditions are presented. Furthermore, new results for functionally graded sector plates with elastic restraints are given. The effects of the material profiles and boundary conditions on the free vibration of the functionally sector plates are also studied.     

Dynamics of a functionally graded material axial bar: Spectral element modeling and analysis

Functionally graded material (FGM) bars in axial motion (hereafter called “FGM axial bars”) have great potential for applications in many engineering fields. Therefore, it is important to develop a reliable mathematical model that can provide very accurate dynamic and wave propagation characteristics in FGM axial bars, especially at high frequencies. As an extension of our previous work, we present a spectral element model for a modified FGM axial bar model wherein nonuniform lateral contraction in the thickness direction is taken into account. We assume that material properties of the modified FGM axial bar model vary in the radial direction according to the power law. The performance of the proposed spectral element model is validated through comparison with solutions from a conventional finite element model, and with the results from the previous FGM axial bar model. In addition, the effects of lateral contraction on the dynamic and wave propagation characteristics in example FGM axial bars are numerically investigated.     

Higher-order theory for functionally graded materials

This paper presents the full generalization of the Cartesian coordinate-based higher-order theory for functionally graded materials developed by the authors during the past several years. This theory circumvents the problematic use of the standard micromechanical approach, based on the concept of a representative volume element, commonly employed in the analysis of functionally graded composites by explicitly coupling the local (microstructural) and global (macrostructural) responses. The theoretical framework is based on volumetric averaging of the various field quantities, together with imposition of boundary and interfacial conditions in an average sense between the subvolumes used to characterize the composite's functionally graded microstructure. The generalization outlined herein involves extension of the theoretical framework to enable the analysis of materials characterized by spatially variable microstructures in three directions. Specialization of the generalized theoretical framework to previously published versions of the higher-order theory for materials functionally graded in one and two directions is demonstrated. In the applications part of the paper we summarize the major findings obtained with the one-directional and two-directional versions of the higher-order theory. The results illustrate both the fundamental issues related to the influence of microstructure on microscopic and macroscopic quantities governing the response of composites and the technologically important applications. A major issue addressed herein is the applicability of the classical homogenization schemes in the analysis of functionally graded materials. The technologically important applications illustrate the utility of functionally graded microstructures in tailoring the response of structural components in a variety of applications involving uniform and gradient thermomechanical loading.     

A refined plate theory for functionally graded plates resting on elastic foundation

A refined plate theory for functionally graded plates resting on elastic foundation is developed in this paper. The theory accounts for a quadratic variation of the transverse shear strains across the thickness, and satisfies the zero traction boundary conditions on the top and bottom surfaces of the plate without using shear correction factors. The number of independent unknowns of present theory is four, as against five in other shear deformation theories. The material properties of plate are assumed to vary according to power law distribution of the volume fraction of the constituents. The elastic foundation is modeled as two-parameter Pasternak foundation. Equations of motion are derived using Hamilton’s principle. The closed-form solutions of rectangular plates are obtained. Numerical results are presented to verify the accuracy of present theory.     

High-order free vibration analysis of sandwich plates with both functionally graded face sheets and functionally graded flexible core

Free vibration analysis of functionally graded material sandwich plates is studied using a refined higher order sandwich panel theory. A new type of FGM sandwich plates, namely, both functionally graded face sheets and functionally graded flexible core are considered. The functionally graded material properties follow a power-law function. The first order shear deformation theory is used for the face sheets and a 3D-elasticity solution of weak core is employed for the core. On the basis of continuities of the displacements and transverse stresses at the interfaces of the face sheets and the core, equations of motion are obtained by using Hamilton’s principle. The accuracy of the present approach is validated by comparing the analytical results obtained for a degradation model (functionally graded face sheets and homogeneous flexible core) with ones published in the literatures, as well as the numerical results obtained by finite element method and good agreements are reached. Then, parametric study is conducted to investigate the effect of distribution of functionally graded material properties, thickness to side ratio on the vibration frequencies.     

An RMVT-based third-order shear deformation theory of multilayered functionally graded material plates

A Reissner mixed variational theorem (RMVT)-based third-order shear deformation theory (TSDT) is developed for the static analysis of simply-supported, multilayered functionally graded material (FGM) plates under mechanical loads. The material properties of the FGM layers are assumed to obey either the exponent-law distributions through the thickness coordinate or the power-law distributions of the volume fractions of the constituents. In this theory, Reddy’s third-order displacement model and the layerwise parabolic function distributions of transverse shear stresses are assumed in the kinematic and kinetic fields, respectively, a priori, where the effect of transverse normal stress is regarded as minor and thus ignored. The continuity conditions of both transverse shear stresses and elastic displacements at the interfaces between adjacent layers are then exactly satisfied in this RMVT-based TSDT. On the basis of RMVT, a set of Euler–Lagrange equations associated with the possible boundary conditions is derived. In conjunction with the method of variable separation and Fourier series expansion, this theory is successfully applied to the static analysis of simply-supported, multilayered FGM plates under mechanical loads. A parametric study of the effects of the material-property gradient index and the span-thickness ratio on the displacement and stress components induced in the plates is undertaken.