• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.821-837
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• 2022

This research is devoted to study the effects of humidity and temperature on the bending behavior of functionally graded (FG) ceramic-metal porous plates resting on Pasternak elastic foundation using a quasi-3D hyperbolic shear deformation theory developed recently. The present plate theory with only four unknowns, takes into account both transverse shear and normal deformations and satisfies the zero traction boundary conditions on the surfaces of the functionally graded plate without using shear correction factors. Material properties of porous FG plate are defined by rule of the mixture with an additional term of porosity in the through-thickness direction. The governing differential equations are obtained using the "principle of virtual work". Analytically, the Navier method is used to solve the equations that govern a simply supported FG porous plate. The obtained results are checked by comparing the results determined for the perfect and imperfect FG plates with those available in the scientific literature. Effects due to material index, porosity factors, moisture and thermal loads, foundation rigidities, geometric ratios on the FG porous plate are all examined. Finally, this research will help us to design advanced functionally graded materials to ensure better durability and efficiency for hygro-thermal environments.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.84 no.4
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• pp.437-452
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• 2022

For the first time, the higher-order shear and normal deformable plate theory (HOSNDPT) is used for the vibration and flutter analyses of the multilayer functionally graded graphene platelets reinforced composite (FG-GPLRC) plates under supersonic airflow. For modeling the supersonic airflow, the linear piston theory is adopted. In HOSNDPT, Legendre polynomials are used to approximate the components of the displacement field in the thickness direction. So, all stress and strain components are encountered. Either uniform or three kinds of non-uniform distribution of graphene platelets (GPLs) into polymer matrix are considered. The Young modulus of the FG-GPLRC plate is estimated by the modified Halpin-Tsai model, while the Poisson ratio and mass density are determined by the rule of mixtures. The Hamilton's principle is used to obtain the governing equations of motion and the associated boundary conditions of the plate. For solving the plate's equations of motion, the Galerkin approach is applied. A comparison for the natural frequencies obtained based on the present investigation and those of three-dimensional elasticity theory shows a very good agreement. The flutter boundaries for FG-GPLRC plates based on HOSNDPT are described and the effects of GPL distribution patterns, the geometrical parameters and the weight fraction of GPLs on the flutter frequencies and flutter aerodynamic pressure of the plate are studied in detail. The obtained results show that by increasing 0.5% of GPLs into polymer matrix, the flutter aerodynamic pressure increases approximately 117%, 145%, 166% and 196% for FG-O, FG-A, UD and FG-X distribution patterns, respectively.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.75-97
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• 2018

In this paper, a novel higher-order shear deformation theory (HSDT) is proposed for the analysis of the hygro-thermo-mechanical behavior of functionally graded (FG) plates resting on elastic foundations. The developed model uses a novel kinematic by considering undetermined integral terms and only four variables are used in this model. The governing equations are deduced based on the principle of virtual work and the number of unknown functions involved is reduced to only four, which is less than the first shear deformation theory (FSDT) and others HSDTs. The Navier-type exact solutions for static analysis of simply supported FG plates subjected to hygro-thermo-mechanical loads are presented. The accuracy and efficiency of the present model is validated by comparing it with various available solutions in the literature. The influences of material properties, temperature, moisture, plate aspect ratio, side-to-thickness ratios and elastic coefficients parameters on deflections and stresses of FG plates are also investigated.

• Advanced Composite Materials
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.259-275
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• 2008

This study aims to optimize the mechanical and electrical properties of electrically conductive polymer composites (CPCs) for use as a material of bipolar plates for PEM fuel cells. The thin CPCs consisting of conductive fillers and polymer resin were fabricated by a preform molding technique. Expanded graphite (EG), flake-type graphite (FG) and carbon fiber (CF) were used as conductive fillers. This study tested two types of CPCs, EG/FG filled CPCs and EG/CF filled CPCs, to optimize the material properties. First, the characteristics of EG/FG filled CPCs were investigated according to the FG ratio for 7 and $100{\mu}m$ sized FG. CPCs using $100{\mu}m$ FG showed optimal material properties at 60 wt% FG ratio, which were an electrical conductivity of 390 S/cm and flexural strength of 51 MPa. The particle size was an important parameter to change the mechanical and electrical behaviors. The flexural strength was sensitive to the particle size due to the different levels of densification. The electrical conductivity also showed size-dependent behavior because of the different contributions to the conductive network. Meanwhile, the material properties of EG/CF filled CPCs was also optimized according to the CF ratio, and the optimized electrical conductivity and flexural strength were 290 S/cm and 58 MPa, respectively. The electrical conductivity of this case decreased similarly to the EG/FG filled case. On the other hand, the behavior of the flexural strength was more complicated than the EG/FG filled case, and the reason was attributed to the interaction between the strengthening effect of CF and the deterioration of voids.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.713-728
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• 2023

This paper aims to investigate the free vibration analysis of FG plates, taking into account the effects of even and uneven porosity. The study employs the Hellinger-Reisner functional and obtains the element's bending stress and membrane stress fields from the analytical solution of the governing equations of the thick plate and plane problem, respectively. The displacement field serves as the second independent field. While few articles on free vibration analysis of circular plates exist, this paper investigates the free vibration of both rectangular and circular plates. After validating the proposed element, the paper investigates the effects of porosity distributions on the natural frequency of the FG porous plate. The study calculates the natural frequency of thin and thick bending plates with different aspect ratios and support conditions for various porosity and volume fraction index values. The study uses three types of porosity distributions, X, V, and O, for the uneven porosity distribution case. For O and V porosity distribution modes, porosity has a minor effect on the natural frequency for both circular and rectangular plates. However, in the case of even porosity distribution or X porosity distribution, the effect of porosity on the natural frequency of circular and rectangular plates increases with an increase in the volume fraction index.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.601-614
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• 2017

In this work, free vibration analysis of size-dependent functionally graded (FG) nanoplates resting on two-parameter elastic foundation is investigated based on a novel nonlocal refined trigonometric shear deformation theory for the first time. This theory includes undetermined integral variables and contains only four unknowns, with is even less than the conventional first shear deformation theory (FSDT). Mori-Tanaka model is employed to describe gradually distribution of material properties along the plate thickness. Size-dependency of nanosize FG plate is captured via the nonlocal elasticity theory of Eringen. By implementing Hamilton's principle the equations of motion are obtained for a refined four-variable shear deformation plate theory and then solved analytically. To show the accuracy of the present theory, our research results in specific cases are compared with available results in the literature and a good agreement will be demonstrated. Finally, the influence of various parameters such as nonlocal parameter, power law indexes, elastic foundation parameters, aspect ratio, and the thickness ratio on the non-dimensional frequency of rectangular FG nanoscale plates are presented and discussed in detail.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.789-801
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• 2018

A weak-form formulation of finite annular prism methods (FAPM) based on Reissner's mixed variational theorem (RMVT), is developed for the quasi three-dimensional (3D) static analysis of two-directional functionally graded (FG) circular plates with various boundary conditions and under mechanical loads. The material properties of the circular plate are assumed to obey either a two-directional power-law distribution of the volume fractions of the constituents through the radial-thickness surface or an exponential function distribution varying doubly exponentially through it. These FAPM solutions of the loaded FG circular plates with both simply-supported and clamped edges are in excellent agreement with the solutions obtained using the 3D analytical approach and two-dimensional advanced plate theories available in the literature.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.341-358
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• 2011

This paper presents the effects of thermal environment and temperature-dependence of the material properties on axisymmetric bending of functionally graded (FG) circular and annular plates. The material properties are assumed to be temperature-dependent and graded in the thickness direction. In order to accurately evaluate the effect of thermal environment, the initial thermal stresses are obtained by solving the thermoelastic equilibrium equations. Governing equations and the related boundary conditions, which include the effects of initial thermal stresses, are derived using the virtual work principle based on the elasticity theory. The differential quadrature method (DQM) as an efficient and robust numerical tool is used to obtain the initial thermal stresses and response of the plate. Comparison studies with some available results for FG plates are performed. The influences of temperature rise, temperature-dependence of material properties, material graded index and different geometrical parameters are carried out.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.711-722
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• 2022

In this paper, hyperbolic shear deformation plate theory is developed for thermal buckling of functionally graded plates with porosity by dividing transverse displacement into bending and shear parts. The present theory is variationally consistent, and accounts for a quadratic variation of the transverse shearstrains across the thickness and satisfies the zero traction boundary conditions on the top and bottom surfaces of the plate without using shear correction factors. Three different patterns of porosity distributions (including even and uneven distribution patterns, and the logarithmic-uneven pattern) are considered. The logarithmic-uneven porosities for first time is mentioned. Equilibrium and stability equations are derived based on the present theory. The non-linear governing equations are solved for plates subjected to simply supported boundary conditions. The thermal loads are assumed to be uniform, linear and non-linear distribution through-the-thickness. A comprehensive parametric study is carried out to assess the effects of volume fraction index, porosity fraction index, aspect ratio and side-to-thickness ratio on the buckling temperature difference of imperfect FG plates.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.431-448
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• 2012

In this paper, the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) (Mindlin) for continuum incorporating surface energy is exploited to study the static behavior of ultra-thin functionally graded (FG) plates. The size-dependent mechanical response is very important while the plate thickness reduces to micro/nano scales. Bulk stresses on the surfaces are required to satisfy the surface balance conditions involving surface stresses. Unlike the classical continuum plate models, the bulk transverse normal stress is preserved here. By incorporating the surface energies into the principle of minimum potential energy, a series of continuum governing differential equations which include intrinsic length scales are derived. The modifications over the classical continuum stiffness are also obtained. To illustrate the application of the theory, simply supported micro/nano scaled rectangular films subjected to a transverse mechanical load are investigated. Numerical examples are presented to present the effects of surface energies on the behavior of functionally graded (FG) film, whose effective elastic moduli of its bulk material are represented by the simple power law. The proposed model is then used for a comparison between the continuum analysis of FG ultra-thin plates with and without incorporating surface effects. Also, the transverse shear strain effect is studied by a comparison between the FG plate behavior based on Kirchhoff and Mindlin assumptions. In our analysis the residual surface tension under unstrained conditions and the surface Lame constants are expected to be the same for the upper and lower surfaces of the FG plate. The proposed model is verified by previous work.