Analysis of functionally graded plates using higher order shear deformation theory

This work addresses a static analysis of functionally graded material (FGM) plates using higher order shear deformation theory. In the theory the transverse shear stresses are represented as quadratic through the thickness and hence it requires no shear correction factor. The material property gradient is assumed to vary in the thickness direction. Mori and Tanaka theory (1973) [1] is used to represent the material property of FGM plate at any point. The thermal gradient across the plate thickness is represented accurately by utilizing the thermal properties of the constituent materials. Results have been obtained by employing a C° continuous isoparametric Lagrangian finite element with seven degrees of freedom for each node. The convergence and comparison studies are presented and effects of the different material composition and the plate geometry (side-thickness, side–side) on deflection and temperature are investigated. Effect of skew angle on deflection and axial stress of the plate is also studied. Effects of material constant n on deflection and the temperature distribution are also discussed in detail.     

Free vibration of functionally graded rectangular plates using first-order shear deformation plate theory

The main objective of this research work is to present analytical solutions for free vibration analysis of moderately thick rectangular plates, which are composed of functionally graded materials (FGMs) and supported by either Winkler or Pasternak elastic foundations. The proposed rectangular plates have two opposite edges simply-supported, while all possible combinations of free, simply-supported and clamped boundary conditions are applied to the other two edges. In order to capture fundamental frequencies of the functionally graded (FG) rectangular plates resting on elastic foundation, the analysis procedure is based on the first-order shear deformation plate theory (FSDT) to derive and solve exactly the equations of motion. The mechanical properties of the FG plates are assumed to vary continuously through the thickness of the plate and obey a power law distribution of the volume fraction of the constituents, whereas Poisson’s ratio is set to be constant. First, a new formula for the shear correction factors, used in the Mindlin plate theory, is obtained for FG plates. Then the excellent accuracy of the present analytical solutions is confirmed by making some comparisons of the results with those available in literature. The effect of foundation stiffness parameters on the free vibration of the FG plates, constrained by different combinations of classical boundary conditions, is also presented for various values of aspect ratios, gradient indices, and thickness to length ratios.     

Geometrically nonlinear static and dynamic analysis of functionally graded skew plates

The present paper deals with nonlinear static and dynamic behavior of functionally graded skew plates. The equations of motion are derived using higher order shear deformation theory in conjunction with von-Karman’s nonlinear kinematics. The physical domain is mapped into computational domain using linear mapping and chain rule of differentiation. The spatial and temporal discretization is based on fast converging finite double Chebyshev series and Houbolt’s method. Quadratic extrapolation technique is employed to linearize the governing nonlinear equations. The spatial and temporal convergence and validation studies have been carried out to establish the efficacy of the present solution methodology. In case of dynamic analysis, the results are obtained for uniform step, sine, half sine, triangular and exponential type of loadings. The effect of volume fraction index, skew angle and boundary conditions on nonlinear displacement and moment response are presented.     

A new Chebyshev spectral approach for vibration of in-plane functionally graded Mindlin plates with variable thickness

This paper presents a new and simple approach for vibration analysis of in-plane functionally graded (IPFG) plates with variable thickness based on the Chebyshev spectral method. Both the material properties and the thickness which vary in the plane of the plate are approximated by high-order Chebyshev expansions. Gauss-Lobatto sampling is adopted for spatial discretization. A consistent governing equation in discrete form is derived by utilizing Lagrange’s equation for all kinds of IPFG plates whose material property functions and thickness function are square-integrable and infinitely differentiable in the domain. Its mass matrix is diagonal and stiffness matrix is symmetric. Classical and point-supported boundary conditions are incorporated through projection matrices. This approach is independent of the type of material gradation, meshfree, and flexible to adjust the computation cost and precision according to needs. A series of numerical examples involving different kinds of material gradations, thickness variations, and boundary conditions are carried out to demonstrate the validity of the proposed method. The results obtained from the present method show a good convergence and agree with those in literature very well.     

Free vibrations of thin annular plates made from functionally graded material

Subject of the consideration is thin annular plate made of a two-phase functionally graded composte. The plate has periodically inhomogeneous microstructure slowly varying in space: the λ-periodic structure along circular coordinate, but smoothly graded apparent (averaged) properties in the perpendicular, radial direction. The aim of the contribution is to derive and apply a deterministic macroscopic model describing the free vibrations of this plate. Modeling procedure is based on tolerance averaging technique. We received, equations system with smooth coefficients. We made numerical solution of this problem, using finite difference method, and analyze influence of material proportion and microstructure size on first frequency of free vibrations. (© 2009 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

An efficient and simple refined theory for buckling analysis of functionally graded plates

In this paper, an efficient and simple refined theory is presented for buckling analysis of functionally graded plates. The theory, which has strong similarity with classical plate theory in many aspects, 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 mechanical properties of functionally graded material are assumed to vary according to a power law distribution of the volume fraction of the constituents. Governing equations are derived from the principle of minimum total potential energy. The closed-form solutions of rectangular plates are obtained. Comparison studies are performed to verify the validity of present results. The effects of loading conditions and variations of power of functionally graded material, modulus ratio, aspect ratio, and thickness ratio on the critical buckling load of functionally graded plates are investigated and discussed.     

3D thermo-mechanical bending solution of functionally graded graphene reinforced circular and annular plates

Within the framework of three-dimensional elasticity theory, this paper investigates the axisymmetric bending of novel functionally graded polymer nanocomposite circular and annular plates reinforced with graphene nanoplatelets (GPLs) whose weight fraction varies continuously and smoothly along the thickness direction. The generalized Mian and Spencer method is utilized to obtain the analytical solutions of nanocomposite circular and annular plates under a combined action of a uniformly distributed transverse load and a through-thickness steady temperature field. Three different distribution patterns of GPLs within the polymer matrix are considered. The present analytical solutions are validated through comparisons against those available in open literature for the reduced cases. A parametric study is conducted to examine the effects of GPL weight fraction, distribution pattern, plate thickness to radius ratio, and boundary conditions on the stress and deformation fields of the plate. The results show that GPL nanofillers with a low content can have a significant reinforcing effect on the bending behavior of the thermo-mechanically loaded plate.     

Bimodal optimal design of vibrating plates using theory and methods of nondifferentiable optimization

This paper is concerned with an optimal design problem of vibrating plates. The optimization problem consists in maximizing the smallest eigenvalue of the elliptic eigenvalue problem describing the free plate vibration. The thickness of the plate is the variable subject to optimization. The volume of the plate is constant and the thickness of the plate is bounded.In this paper, we consider the case where the smallest eigenvalue is multiple. This implies that the optimization problem is nondifferentiable. A necessary optimality condition is formulated. The finite-element method is employed as an approximation method. A nonsmooth optimization method is used to solve this optimization problem. Numerical examples are provided.This work was supported by the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Education Ministry of Japan. Lemarechal's implementation of his method was used for numerical computations.on leave from Systems Research Institute, Warsaw, Poland.     

Static and dynamic analyses of isogeometric curvilinearly stiffened plates

The isogeometric analysis (IGA) is a new approach which builds a seamless connection between Computer Aided Design (CAD) and Computer Aided Engineering (CAE). This approach which uses the B-Splines or the Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines (NURBS) as a geometric representation of the object is a discretization technology for numerical analysis. The IGA has advantages of capturing exact geometry and making the flexibility of refinement, which results in higher calculation accuracy. To study the static and dynamic characteristics of curvilinearly stiffened plates, the NURBS based isogeometric analysis approach is developed in this paper. We use this approach to analyze the static deformation, the free vibration and the vibration behavior in the presence of in-plane loads of curvilinearly stiffened plates. Furthermore, the large deformation and the large amplitude vibration of the curvilinearly stiffened plates are also studied based on the von Karman's large deformation theory. One of the superiorities of the present method in the analysis of the stiffened plates is that the element number is much less than commercial finite element software, whereas another advantage is that the mesh refinement process is much more convenient compared with traditional finite element method (FEM). Some numerical examples are shown to validate the correctness and superiority of the present method by comparing with the results from commercial software and finite element analysis.     

Bending,buckling and free vibration analysis of incompressible functionally graded plates using higher order shear and normal deformable plate theory

In the present study, higher order shear and normal deformable plate theory is developed for analysis of incompressible functionally graded rectangular thick plates. Also, The effect of incompressibility is studied on the static, dynamic and stability responses of thick plate. It is assumed that plate is incompressible and the incompressibility condition is considered in addition to the governing equations for determining the unknowns. Since the plate is thick, higher order shear and normal deformable theory is applied so that the Legendre polynomials are used for expansion of displacement field components in the thickness direction. Also, it is supposed that material properties vary through the thickness based on the power law function. Utilizing the variational approach, governing equations for static, stability and dynamic analysis of plate are derived. Resulted equations are solved analytically for simply supported plates. Finally, the effects of material properties and dimensions on the response of incompressible plates are investigated in details.     

Analysis of wave propagation in functionally graded piezoelectric composite plates reinforced with graphene platelets

This paper presents a semi-analytical approach to investigate wave propagation characteristics in functionally graded graphene reinforced piezoelectric composite plates. Three patterns of graphene platelets (GPLs) describe the layer-wise variation of material properties in the thickness direction. Based on the Reissner-Mindlin plate theory and the isogeometric analysis, elastodynamic wave equation for the piezoelectric composite plate is derived by Hamilton’s principle and parameterized with the non-uniform rational B-splines (NURBS). The equation is transformed into a second-order polynomial eigenvalue problem with regard to wave dispersion. Then, the semi-analytical approach is validated by comparing with the existing results and the convergence on computing dispersion behaviors is also demonstrated. The effects of various distributions, volume fraction, size parameters and piezoelectricity of GPLs as well as different geometry parameters of the composite plate on dispersion characteristics are discussed in detail. The results show great potential of graphene reinforcements in design of smart composite structures and application for structural health monitoring.     

Thermal vibration analysis of functionally graded shallow spherical caps by introducing a decoupling analytical approach

Due to many applications of spherical shells on a circular planform such as the nose of the plane and spacecraft and caps of pressurized cylindrical tanks, in this article, free vibration analysis of a thin functionally graded shallow spherical cap under a thermal load is considered. A decoupling technique is employed to analytically solve the equations of motion. Introducing some new auxiliary and potential functions as well as using the separation method of variables, the governing equations of the vibrated functionally graded shallow spherical cap were exactly solved. The superiority of the relations is validated by some comparative studies for various types of boundary conditions. Also, thermal buckling phenomenon is considered. Using new different material models, efficiency of the functionally graded materials is investigated when the shell is subjected to a temperature gradient. The effects of various parameters such as radius of curvature, material grading index and thermal gradient are discussed.     

Direct and inverse problems for prestressed functionally graded plates in the framework of the Timoshenko model

In this study, modelling and identification of prestress state in functionally graded plate within the framework of the Timoshenko theory are discussed. With the help of variational principles, statements of boundary problems for stationary vibration of inhomogeneous prestressed plates have been derived taking into account various factors of prestress state. The comparative analysis of classical and nonclassical models has been conducted. The effect of the prestress state factors on the solution characteristics has been estimated. New approaches to solving the inverse problems on a reconstruction of inhomogeneous prestress functions in a functionally graded plate have been proposed on the basis of derivation of reciprocity relations and iterative regularization. The results of numerical reconstruction experiments are presented; practical recommendations on a selection of frequency range for the purpose of getting the highest reconstruction accuracy are given.     

Nonlinear free vibration analysis of functionally graded beams by using different shear deformation theories

This study investigates the nonlinear free vibration of functionally graded material (FGM) beams by different shear deformation theories. The volume fractions of the material constituents and effective material properties are assumed to be changing in the thickness direction according to the power-law form. The von Kármán geometric nonlinearity has been considered in the formulation. The Ritz method and Lagrange equation are adopted to yield the discrete formulations. A direct numerical integration method for the motion equation in matrix form is developed to solve the nonlinear frequencies of FGM beams. Comparing with the global concordant deformation assumption (GCDA), a new deformation assumption named as local concordant deformation assumption (LCDA) is proposed in this study. The LCDA fits with the real deformation of the vibrating beam better, thus more accurate results of the nonlinear frequency can be expected. In numerical results, the comparison study of the GCDA and LCDA is carried out. In addition, the effects of power-law index, slenderness ratio and maximum deflection for different shear deformation theories and boundary conditions on the nonlinear frequency of the beam are discussed.     

A new sinusoidal shear deformation theory for bending,buckling, and vibration of functionally graded plates

A new sinusoidal shear deformation theory is developed for bending, buckling, and vibration of functionally graded plates. The theory accounts for sinusoidal distribution of transverse shear stress, and satisfies the free transverse shear stress conditions on the top and bottom surfaces of the plate without using shear correction factor. Unlike the conventional sinusoidal shear deformation theory, the proposed sinusoidal shear deformation theory contains only four unknowns and has strong similarities with classical plate theory in many aspects such as equations of motion, boundary conditions, and stress resultant expressions. The material properties of plate are assumed to vary according to power law distribution of the volume fraction of the constituents. Equations of motion are derived from the Hamilton’s principle. The closed-form solutions of simply supported plates are obtained and the results are compared with those of first-order shear deformation theory and higher-order shear deformation theory. It can be concluded that the proposed theory is accurate and efficient in predicting the bending, buckling, and vibration responses of functionally graded plates.     

Stress and free vibration analysis of functionally graded beams using static Green's functions

In this paper static Green's functions for functionally graded Euler-Bernoulli and Timoshenko beams are presented. All material properties are arbitrary functions along the beam thickness direction. The closed-form solutions of static Green's functions are derived from a fourth-order partial differential equation presented in [2]. In combination with Betti's reciprocal theorem the Green's functions are applied to calculate internal forces and stress analysis of functionally graded beams (FGBs) under static loadings. For symmetrical material properties along the beam thickness direction and symmetric cross-sections, the resulting stress distributions are also symmetric. For unsymmetrical material properties the neutral axis and the center of gravity axis are located at different positions. Free vibrations of functionally graded Timoshenko beams are also analyzed [3]. Analytical solutions of eigenfunctions and eigenfrequencies in closed-forms are obtained based on reference [2]. Alternatively it is also possible to use static Green's functions and Fredholm's integral equations to obtain approximate eigenfunctions and eigenfrequencies by an iterative procedure as shown in [1]. Applying the Sensitivity Analysis with Green's Functions (SAGF) [1] to derive closed-form analytical solutions of functionally graded beams, it is possible to modify the derived static Green's functions and include terms taking cracks into account, which are modeled by translational or rotational springs. Furthermore the SAGF approach in combination with the superposition principle can be used to take stiffness jumps into account and to extend static Green's functions of simple beams to that of discontinuous beams by adding new supports. (© 2011 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

On the effects of coupling between in-plane and out-of-plane vibrating modes of smart functionally graded circular/annular plates

In recent years many articles concerned with the mechanics of functionally graded plates have been published. The variation in material properties through the thickness of the plate introduces a coupling between in-plane and transverse displacements, the coupling is important in the vibration of functionally graded plates (FGPs), but none have produced an exact closed-form solution for the in-plane as well as transverse vibrations of smart circular/annular FGPs. Therefore, this paper develops an exact closed-form solution for the free vibration of piezoelectric coupled thick circular/annular FGPs subjected to different boundary conditions on the basis of the Mindlin’s first-order shear deformation theory. Through the comparison of present results with those available, the accuracy of the present method was verified. The effects of coupling between in-plane and transverse displacements on the frequency parameters are proved to be significant. It is concluded that the developed model can describe vibrational behavior of smart FGM plates more realistic. Due to the inherent features of the present solution, all findings will be a useful benchmark for evaluating other analytical and numerical methods developed by researchers in the future.     

Surface effects on nonlinear free vibration of functionally graded nanobeams using nonlocal elasticity

In this paper, to consider all surface effects including surface elasticity, surface stress, and surface density, on the nonlinear free vibration analysis of simply-supported functionally graded Euler–Bernoulli nanobeams using nonlocal elasticity theory, the balance conditions between FG nanobeam bulk and its surfaces are considered to be satisfied assuming a cubic variation for the component of the normal stress through the FG nanobeam thickness. The nonlinear governing equation includes the von Kármán geometric nonlinearity and the material properties change continuously through the thickness of the FG nanobeam according to a power-law distribution of the volume fraction of the constituents. The multiple scale method is employed as an analytical solution for the nonlinear governing equation to obtain the nonlinear natural frequencies of FG nanobeams. The effect of the gradient index, the nanobeam length, thickness to length ratio, mode number, amplitude of deflection to radius of gyration ratio and nonlocal parameter on the frequency ratios of FG nanobeams is investigated.     

An accurate mathematical study on the free vibration of stepped thickness circular/annular Mindlin functionally graded plates

An analytical solution based on a new exact closed form procedure is presented for free vibration analysis of stepped circular and annular FG plates via first order shear deformation plate theory of Mindlin. The material properties change continuously through the thickness of the plate, which can vary according to a power-law distribution of the volume fraction of the constituents, whereas Poisson’s ratio is set to be constant. Based on the domain decomposition technique, five highly coupled governing partial differential equations of motion for freely vibrating FG plates were exactly solved by introducing the new potential functions as well as using the method of separation of variables. Several comparison studies were presented by those reported in the literature and the FEM analysis, for various thickness values and combinations of stepped thickness variations of circular/annular FG plates to demonstrate highly stability and accuracy of present exact procedure. The effect of the geometrical and material plate parameters such as step thickness ratios, step locations and the power law index on the natural frequencies of FG plates is investigated.