• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.111-135
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• 2014

Based on the Reissner mixed variational theorem (RMVT), finite rectangular layer methods (FRLMs) are developed for the three-dimensional (3D) linear buckling analysis of simply-supported, fiber-reinforced composite material (FRCM) and functionally graded material (FGM) sandwich plates subjected to bi-axial compressive loads. In this work, the material properties of the FGM layers are assumed to obey the power-law distributions of the volume fractions of the constituents through the thickness, and the plate is divided into a number of finite rectangular layers, in which the trigonometric functions and Lagrange polynomials are used to interpolate the in- and out-of-plane variations of the field variables of each individual layer, respectively, and an h-refinement process is adopted to yield the convergent solutions. The accuracy and convergence of the RMVT-based FRLMs with various orders used for expansions of each field variables through the thickness are assessed by comparing their solutions with the exact 3D and accurate two-dimensional ones available in the literature.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.611-632
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• 2019

In this work, a four-variable refined plate model is applied to study the thermomechanical bending of two kinds of functionally graded material (FGM) sandwich plates. The sandwich core of one kind is isotropic with the FGM face sheets whereas in the second kind, the sandwich core is FGM with the isotropic and homogeneous face sheets. By considering only four unknown variables, the governing equations are written based on the principle of virtual work and then Navier method is employed to solve these equations. Deflections and stresses of two kinds of FGM sandwich structures are analyzed and discussed. The validity and efficiency of the proposed model is checked by comparing it with various available solutions in the literature. The effects of volume fraction distribution, geometric ratio and thermal load on thermomechanical bending properties of FGM sandwich plate are investigated in detail.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.85 no.2
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• pp.233-246
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• 2023

Bending and buckling analysis of multi-directional porous functionally graded sandwich plate has been performed for two cases namely: FG skin with homogeneous core and FG core with homogeneous skin. The principle of virtual displacements was employed and the solution was obtained using Navier's technique. This theory imposes traction-free boundary conditions on the surfaces and does not require shear correction factors. The validation of the present study has been performed with those available in the literature. The composition of metal-ceramic-based FGM changes in longitudinal and transverse directions according to the power law. Different porosity laws, such as uniform distribution, unevenly and logarithmically uneven distributions were used to mimic the imperfections in the functionally graded material that were introduced during the fabrication process. Several sandwich plates schemes were studied based on the plate's symmetry and the thickness of each layer. The effects of grading parameters and porosity laws on the bending and buckling of sandwich plates were examined.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.623-631
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• 2017

Present paper deals with the temperature-dependent buckling analysis of sandwich nanocomposite plates resting on elastic medium subjected to magnetic field. The lamina layers are reinforced with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as uniform and functionally graded (FG). The elastic medium is considered as orthotropic Pasternak foundation with considering the effects of thermal loading on the spring and shear constants of medium. Mixture rule is utilized for obtaining the effective material properties of each layer. Adopting the Reddy shear deformation plate theory, the governing equations are derived based on energy method and Hamilton's principle. The buckling load of the structure is calculated with the Navier's method for the simply supported sandwich nanocomposite plates. Parametric study is conducted on the combined effects of the volume percent and distribution types of the CNTs, temperature change, elastic medium, magnetic field and geometrical parameters of the plates on the buckling load of the sandwich structure. The results show that FGX distribution of the CNTs leads to higher stiffness and consequently higher buckling load. In addition, considering the magnetic field increases the buckling load of the sandwich nanocomposite plate.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.251-261
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• 2017

In this paper, thermal effect on the vibration and stability of initially stressed sandwich plates with functionally graded material (FGM) face sheets is analyzed. Material properties of FGM face sheet are graded continuously in the thickness direction. The variation of FGM properties assumes a simple power law distribution in terms of the volume fractions of the constituents. The governing equations of arbitrarily initially-stressed sandwich plates including the effects of transverse shear deformation and rotary inertia are derived. The initial stress is taken to be a combination of a uniaxial extensional stress and a pure bending stress in the examples. The eigenvalue problems are formed to study the vibration and buckling characteristics of simple supported initially stressed FGM/metal/FGM plates. The effects of volume fraction index, temperature rise, initial stress and layer thickness of metal on the natural frequencies and buckling loads are investigated. The results reveal that the volume fraction index, initial stresses and layer thickness of metal have significant influence on the vibration and stability of sandwich plates with FGM face sheets.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.85 no.5
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• pp.593-605
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• 2023

This work presents a comparison between analytical and finite element analysis for bending of porous sandwich functionally graded material (FGM) plates. The plate is rectangular and simply supported under static sinusoidal loading. Material properties of FGM are assumed to vary continuously across the face sheets thickness according to a power-law function in terms of the volume fractions of the constituents while the core is homogeneous. Four types of porosity are considered. A refined higher-order shear with normal deformation theory is used. The number of unknowns in this theory is five, as against six or more in other shear and normal deformation theories. This theory assumes the nonlinear variation of transverse shear stresses and satisfies its nullity in the top and bottom surfaces of the plate without the use of a shear correction factor. The governing equations of equilibrium are derived from the virtual work principle. The Navier approach is used to solve equilibrium equations. The constitutive law of the porous FGM sandwich plate is implemented for a 3D finite element through a subroutine in FORTRAN (UMAT) in Abaqus software. Results show good agreement between the finite element model and the analytical method for some results, but the analytical method keeps giving symmetric results even with the thickness stretching effect and load applied to the top surface of the sandwich.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.291-305
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• 2016

In this paper, a refined shear deformation plate theory which eliminates the use of a shear correction factor was presented for FG sandwich plates composed of FG face sheets and an isotropic homogeneous core. The theory accounts for parabolic distribution of the transverse shear strains and satisfies the zero traction boundary conditions on the surfaces of the plate. The mechanical properties of the plate are assumed to vary continuously in the thickness direction by a simple power-law distribution in terms of the volume fractions of the constituents. Based on the present refined shear deformation plate theory, the governing equations of equilibrium are derived from the principle of virtual displacements. Numerical illustrations concern buckling behavior of FG sandwiches plates with Metal-Ceramic composition. Parametric studies are performed for varying ceramic volume fraction, volume fraction profiles, Boundary condition, and length to thickness ratios. The accuracy of the present solutions is verified by comparing the obtained results with the existing solutions.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.87 no.1
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• pp.29-46
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• 2023

Critical thermal buckling of functionally graded porous (FGP) sandwich plates under various types of thermal loading is considered. It is assumed that the mechanical and thermal nonhomogeneous properties of FGP sandwich plate vary smoothly by distribution of power law across the thickness of sandwich plate. In this paper, porosity defects are modeled as stiffness reduction criteria and included in the rule of mixture. The thermal environments are considered as uniform, linear and nonlinear temperature rises. The critical buckling temperature response of FGM sandwich plates has been analyzed under various boundary conditions. By comparing several numerical examples with the reference solutions, the results indicate that the present analysis has good accuracy and rapid convergence. Further, the effects of various parameters like distribution shape of porosity, sandwich combinations, aspect ratio, thickness ratio, boundary conditions on critical buckling temperature of FGP sandwich plate have been studied in this paper.

• Advances in materials Research
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.43-65
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• 2023

Free vibration analysis of power law and sigmoidal sandwich plates made up of functionally graded materials (FGMs) has been carried out using finite element based higher-order zigzag theory. The present model satisfies all-important conditions such as transverse shear stress-free conditions at the plate's top and bottom surface along with continuity condition for transverse stresses at the interface. A Nine-noded C0 finite element having eleven degrees of freedom per node is used during the study. The present model is free from the requirement of any penalty function or post-processing technique and hence is computationally efficient. The present model's effectiveness is demonstrated by comparing the present results with available results in the literature. Several new results have been proposed in the present work, which will serve as a benchmark for future works. It has been observed that the material variation law, power-law exponent, skew angle, and boundary condition of the plate widely determines the free vibration behavior of sandwich functionally graded (FG) plate.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.159-177
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• 2023

In the present work, a simple and refined shear deformation theory is used to analyze the effect of visco-elastic foundation on the buckling response of exponentially-gradient sandwich plates under various boundary conditions. The proposed theory includes indeterminate integral variables kinematic with only four generalized parameters, in which no shear correction factor is used. The visco-Pasternak's foundation is taken into account by adding the influence of damping to the usual foundation model which characterized by the linear Winkler's modulus and Pasternak's foundation modulus. The four governing equations for FGM sandwich plates are derived by employing principle of virtual work. To solve the buckling problem, Galerkin's approach is utilized for FGM sandwich plates for various boundary conditions. The analytical solutions for critical buckling loads of several types of powerly graded sandwich plates resting on visco-Pasternak foundations under various boundary conditions are presented. Some numerical results are presented to indicate the effects of inhomogeneity parameter, elastic foundation type, and damping coefficient of the foundation, on the critical buckling loads.