A finite element formulation for analysis of functionally graded plates and shells

Summary A finite element formulation is derived for the thermoelastic analysis of functionally graded (FG) plates and shells. The power-law distribution model is assumed for the composition of the constitutent materials in the thickness direction. The procedure adopted to derive the finite element formulation contains the analytical through-the-thickness integration inherently. Such formulation accounts for the large gradient of the material properties of FG plates and shells through the thickness without using the Gauss points in the thickness direction. The explicit through-the-thickness integration becomes possible due to the proper decomposition of the material properties into the product of a scalar variable and a constant matrix through the thickness. The nonlinear heat-transfer equation is solved for thermal distribution through the thickness by the Rayleigh-Ritz method. According to the results, the formulation accounts for the nonlinear variation in the stress components through the thickness especially for regions with a variation in martial propperties near the free surfaces.     

Buckling analysis of functionally graded material (FGM) sandwich truncated conical shells reinforced by FGM stiffeners filled inside by elastic foundations

An analytical solution for buckling of an eccentrically stiffened sandwich truncated conical shell is investigated. The shell consists of two functionally graded material (FGM) coating layers and a core layer which are metal or ceramic subjected to an axial compressive load and an external uniform pressure. Shells are reinforced by stringers and rings, in which the material properties of shells and stiffeners are graded in the thickness direction following a general sigmoid law distribution. Two models of coated shell-stiffener arrangements are investigated. The change of the spacing between stringers in the meridional direction is taken into account. A couple set of three-variable-coefficient partial differential equations in terms of displacement components are solved by the Galerkin method. A closed-form expression for determining the buckling load is obtained. The numerical examples are presented and compared with previous works.     

功能梯度材料板件三维分析的半解析梯度有限元法

将半解析有限元与梯度有限元相结合,形成一种半解析梯度有限元来求解功能梯度材料板件问题。该方法兼有有限元法的适应性强、程序统一,半解析有限元法的节省单元与计算工作量,梯度有限元法的适应构件内部材料性能任意梯度分布等特点,并实现用一维数值计算给出构件三维分析结果。算例分析表明了方法的精度、功能与上述特点,充分揭示了功能梯度材料板件力学响应的三维形态。半解析梯度有限元法可推广应用到其他功能梯度材料面结构的各类分析中。