• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.569-585
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• 2023

This paper proposes an efficient approach for the structural topology optimization of bi-directional functionally graded structures by incorporating popular radial basis functions (RBFs) into an implicit level set (ILS) method. Compared to traditional element density-based methods, a level set (LS) description of material boundaries produces a smoother boundary description of the design. The paper develops RBF implicit modeling with multiquadric (MQ) splines, thin-plate spline (TPS), exponential spline (ES), and Gaussians (GS) to define the ILS function with high accuracy and smoothness. The optimization problem is formulated by considering RBF-based nodal densities as design variables and minimizing the compliance objective function. A LS-RBF optimization method is proposed to transform a Hamilton-Jacobi partial differential equation (PDE) into a system of coupled non-linear ordinary differential equations (ODEs) over the entire design domain using a collocation formulation of the method of lines design variables. The paper presents detailed mathematical expressions for BiDFG beams topology optimization with two different material models: continuum functionally graded (CFG) and mechanical functionally graded (MFG). Several numerical examples are presented to verify the method's efficiency, reliability, and success in accuracy, convergence speed, and insensitivity to initial designs in the topology optimization of two-dimensional (2D) structures. Overall, the paper presents a novel and efficient approach to topology optimization that can handle bi-directional functionally graded structures with complex geometries.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.293-305
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• 2020

This article presented a nanoscale modified continuum model to investigate the free vibration of functionally graded (FG) porous nanobeam by using finite element method. The main novelty of this manuscript is presenting effects of four different porosity models on vibration behaviors of nonlocal nanobeam structure including size effect, that not be discussed before The proposed porosity models are, uniform porosity distribution, symmetric with mid-plane, bottom surface distribution and top surface distribution. The nano-scale effect is included in modified model by using the differential nonlocal continuum theory of Eringen that adding the length scale into the constitutive equations as a material parameter constant. The graded material is distributed through the beam thickness by a generalized power law function. The beam is simply supported, and it is assumed to be thin. Therefore, the kinematic assumptions of Euler-Bernoulli beam theory are held. The mathematical model is solved numerically using the finite element method. Results demonstrate effects of porosity type, material gradation, and nanoscale parameters on the free vibration of nanobeam. The proposed model is effective in vibration analysis of NEMS structure manufactured by porous functionally graded materials.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.261-270
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• 2024

This paper proposes an effective method for optimizing the structure of functionally graded isotropic and incompressible linear elastic materials. The main emphasis is on utilizing a specialized polytopal composite finite element (PCE) technique capable of handling a broad range of materials, addressing common volumetric locking issues found in nearly incompressible substances. Additionally, it employs a continuum model for bi-directional functionally graded (BFG) material properties, amalgamating these aspects into a unified property function. This study thus provides an innovative approach that tackles diverse material challenges, accommodating various elemental shapes like triangles, quadrilaterals, and polygons across compressible and nearly incompressible material properties. The paper thoroughly details the mathematical formulations for optimizing the topology of BFG structures with various materials. Finally, it showcases the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed method through numerous numerical examples.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.335-355
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• 2022

It's important to note that the number of studies on the lateral vibration of steel liquid storage tanks has been quite modest in the past. The aim of this research has to look at the variables that affect vibration of storage tanks and to highlight the characteristics of a construction that hasn't received much attention in the literature. The storage tank has pre-sized in the study, and aluminum and steel have chosen as components. The specified material qualities and the factors utilized in the investigation has used to calculate vibration frequency values. The resulting calculations are backed up by tables and graphs, and it's an important to look into the parameters that affect the vibration frequencies that will occur on the designed storage tank vary. In the literature, water tanks are usually modelled as lumped masses. The horizontal stiffness of the column on which it is placed is assumed to be constant throughout. This is an approximation method of solving this problem. The column is handled in this study with a more realistic approach that fits the continuum mechanics in the analysis. The reservoir part is incorporated directly into the problem as the boundary condition.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.641-665
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• 2014

This paper presents the analytical solutions for the size-dependent static analysis of the functionally graded (FG) beams with various boundary conditions based on the nonlocal continuum model. The nonlocal behavior is described by the differential constitutive model of Eringen, which enables to this model to become effective in the analysis and design of nanostructures. The elastic modulus of beam is assumed to vary through the thickness or longitudinal directions according to the power law. The governing equations are derived by using the nonlocal continuum theory incorporated with Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. The explicit solutions are derived for the static behavior of the transversely or axially FG beams with various boundary conditions. The verification of the model is obtained by comparing the current results with previously published works and a good agreement is observed. Numerical results are presented to show the significance of the nonlocal effect, the material distribution profile, the boundary conditions, and the length of beams on the bending behavior of nonlocal FG beams.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.579-589
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• 2017

The objective of this work is to analyze post-buckling of functionally graded (FG) beams with porosity effect under compression load. Material properties of the beam change in the thickness direction according to power-law distributions with different porosity models. It is known that post-buckling problems are geometrically nonlinear problems. In the nonlinear kinematic model of the beam, total Lagrangian finite element model of two dimensional (2-D) continuum is used in conjunction with the Newton-Raphson method. In the study, the effects of material distribution, porosity parameters, compression loads on the post-buckling behavior of FG beams are investigated and discussed with porosity effects. Also, the effects of the different porosity models on the FG beams are investigated in post-buckling case.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.829-843
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• 2022

This manuscript work presents a comprehensive continuum model capable to investigate the effect of porosity on vibro-acoustic behaviour of functionally graded (FG) beams resting on an elastic foundation subjected to thermal and mechanical loadings. Effects of uniform temperature rise and edge compressive load on the sound radiation characteristics are studied in a comparative manner. The numerical analysis is carried out by combining finite element method with Rayleigh's integral. Detailed parametric studies are accomplished, and influences of power law index, porosity volume, porosity distribution and boundary conditions on the vibro-acoustic response characteristics are analyzed. It is found that the vibro-acoustic response under mechanical edge compression is entirely different compared to from that under the thermal load. Furthermore, nature of grading of porosity affects the sound radiation behaviour for both the loads. The proposed model can be used to obtain the suppression performance of vibration and noise FG porous beams under thermal and mechanical loads.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.711-726
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• 2017

In the present work, by considering the agglomeration effect of single-walled carbon nanotubes, free vibration characteristics of functionally graded (FG) nanocomposite sandwich plates resting on Pasternak foundation are presented. The volume fractions of randomly oriented agglomerated single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are assumed to be graded in the thickness direction. To determine the effect of CNT agglomeration on the elastic properties of CNT-reinforced composites, a two-parameter micromechanical model of agglomeration is employed. In this research work, an equivalent continuum model based on the Eshelby-Mori-Tanaka approach is employed to estimate the effective constitutive law of the elastic isotropic medium (matrix) with oriented straight CNTs. The 2-D generalized differential quadrature method (GDQM) as an efficient and accurate numerical tool is used to discretize the equations of motion and to implement the various boundary conditions. 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. The benefit of using the considered power-law distribution is to illustrate and present useful results arising from symmetric and asymmetric profiles. The effects of two-parameter elastic foundation modulus, geometrical and material parameters together with the boundary conditions on the frequency parameters of the laminated FG nanocomposite plates are investigated. It is shown that the natural frequencies of structure are seriously affected by the influence of CNTs agglomeration. This study serves as a benchmark for assessing the validity of numerical methods or two-dimensional theories used to analysis of laminated plates.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.425-442
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• 2015

This paper addresses theoretically the bending and buckling behaviors of size-dependent nanobeams made of functionally graded materials (FGMs) including the thickness stretching effect. The size-dependent FGM nanobeam is investigated on the basis of the nonlocal continuum model. The nonlocal elastic behavior is described by the differential constitutive model of Eringen, which enables the present model to become effective in the analysis and design of nanostructures. The present model incorporates the length scale parameter (nonlocal parameter) which can capture the small scale effect, and furthermore accounts for both shear deformation and thickness stretching effects by virtue of a sinusoidal variation of all displacements through the thickness without using shear correction factor. The material properties of FGM nanobeams are assumed to vary through the thickness according to a power law. The governing equations and the related boundary conditions are derived using the principal of minimum total potential energy. A Navier-type solution is developed for simply-supported boundary conditions, and exact expressions are proposed for the deflections and the buckling load. The effects of nonlocal parameter, aspect ratio and various material compositions on the static and stability responses of the FGM nanobeam are discussed in detail. The study is relevant to nanotechnology deployment in for example aircraft structures.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.589-606
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• 2018

The previous studies reflected the significant effect of neutral-axis position and coupling of in-plane and out-of-plane displacements on behavior of functionally graded (FG) nanobeams. In thin FG beam, this coupling can be eliminated by a proper choice of the reference axis. In shear deformable FG nanobeam, not only this coupling can't be eliminated but also the position of neutral-axis is dependent on through-thickness distribution of shear strain. For the first time, in this paper it is avoided to guess a shear strain shape function and the exact shape function and consequently the exact position of neutral axis for arbitrary gradation of higher order nanobeam are obtained. This paper presents new methodology based on differential transform and collocation methods to solve coupled partial differential equations of motion without any simplifications. Using exact position of neutral axis and higher order beam kinematics as well as satisfying equilibrium equations and traction-free conditions without shear correction factor requirement yields to better results in comparison to the previously published results in literature. The classical rule of mixture and Mori-Tanaka homogenization scheme are considered. The Eringen's nonlocal continuum theory is applied to capture the small scale effects. For the first time, the dependency of exact position of neutral axis on length to thickness ratio is investigated. The effects of small scale, length to thickness ratio, Poisson's ratio, inhomogeneity of materials and various end conditions on vibration and buckling of local and nonlocal FG beams are investigated. Moreover, the effect of axial load on natural frequencies of the first modes is examined. After degeneration of the governing equations, the exact new formulas for homogeneous nanobeams are computed.