• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.49 no.6
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• pp.633-643
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• 2023

In this study, the natural frequencies of Functional Graded Materials (FGM) plates are predicted using Artificial Neural Network (ANN). A model based on Third-order Shear Deformation Theory (TSDT) and FEM is used to train the ANN model. Different training methods are tested to simulate input and output dependency. As this is a parametric model, several architectures and optimization algorithms were tested. The proposed model allows us to minimize the CPU time to evaluate candidate material properties for FGM plate material selection and demonstrate their influence on dynamic behavior. Consequently, the time required for the FGM design process (candidate materials for material selection) and the geometric optimization of the FGM structure would remain reasonable. The ANN model can help industries to produce FGM plates with good mechanical properties of the selected materials. I addition, this model can be used to directly predict vibration behavior by testing a large number of FGM plates, representing all possible combinations of metals and ceramics in today's industry, without having to solve any eigenvalue problems.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.125-137
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• 2018

In this work, the bending and free vibration analysis of multilayered plates and shells is presented by utilizing a new higher order shear deformation theory (HSDT). The proposed involves only four unknowns, which is even less than the first shear deformation theory (FSDT) and without requiring the shear correction coefficient. Unlike the conventional HSDTs, the present one presents a novel displacement field which incorporates undetermined integral variables. The equations of motion are derived by using the Hamilton's principle. These equations are then solved via Navier-type, closed form solutions. Bending and vibration results are found for cylindrical and spherical shells and plates for simply supported boundary conditions. Bending and vibration problems are treated as individual cases. Panels are subjected to sinusoidal, distributed and point loads. Results are presented for thick to thin as well as shallow and deep shells. The computed results are compared with the exact 3D elasticity theory and with several other conventional HSDTs. The proposed HSDT is found to be precise compared to other several existing ones for investigating the static and dynamic response of isotropic and multilayered composite shell and plate structures.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.603-613
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• 2017

In this research, the free vibration response of laminated composite plates is investigated using a novel and simple higher order shear deformation plate theory. The model considers a non-linear distribution of the transverse shear strains, and verifies the zero traction boundary conditions on the surfaces of the plate without introducing shear correction coefficient. The developed kinematic uses undetermined integral terms with only four unknowns. Equations of motion are obtained from the Hamilton's principle and the Navier method is used to determine the closed-form solutions of antisymmetric cross-ply and angle-ply laminates. Numerical examples studied using the present formulation is compared with three-dimensional elasticity solutions and those calculated using the first-order and the other higher-order theories. It can be concluded that the present model is not only accurate but also efficient and simple in studying the free vibration response of laminated composite plates.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.69 no.3
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• pp.335-345
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• 2019

In present study, a novel refined hyperbolic shear deformation theory is proposed for the buckling analysis of thick isotropic plates. The new displacement field is constructed with only two unknowns, as against three or more in other higher order shear deformation theories. However, the hyperbolic sine function is assigned according to the shearing stress distribution across the plate thickness, and satisfies the zero traction boundary conditions on the top and bottom surfaces of the plate without using any shear correction factors. The equations of motion associated with the present theory are obtained using the principle of virtual work. The analytical solution of the buckling of simply supported plates subjected to uniaxial and biaxial loading conditions was obtained using the Navier method. The critical buckling load results for thick isotropic square plates are compared with various available results in the literature given by other theories. From the present analysis, it can be concluded that the proposed theory is accurate and efficient in predicting the buckling response of isotropic plates.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.70 no.5
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• pp.601-621
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• 2019

This study presents a comprehensive nonlinear dynamic approach to investigate the linear and nonlinear vibration of sandwich plates fabricated from functionally graded materials (FGMs) resting on an elastic foundation. Higher-order shear deformation theory and Hamilton's principle are employed to obtain governing equations. The Runge-Kutta method is employed together with the commercially available mathematical software MAPLE 14 to solve the set of nonlinear dynamic governing equations. Method validity is evaluated by comparing the results of this study and those of previous research. Good agreement is achieved. The effects of temperature change on frequencies are investigated considering various temperatures and various volume fraction index values, N. As the temperature increased, the plate frequency decreased, whereas with increasing N, the plate frequency increased. The effects of the side-to-thickness ratio, c/h, on natural frequencies were investigated. With increasing c/h, the frequencies increased nonlinearly. The effects of foundation stiffness on nonlinear vibration of the sandwich plate were also studied. Backbone curves presenting the variation of maximum displacement with respect to plate frequency are presented to provide insight into the nonlinear vibration and dynamic behavior of FGM sandwich plates.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.151-176
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• 2017

This paper deals with general equations of motion for free vibration analysis response of thick three-layer doubly curved sandwich panels (DCSP) under simply supported boundary conditions (BCs) using higher order shear deformation theory. In this model, the face sheets are orthotropic laminated composite that follow the first order shear deformation theory (FSDT) based on Rissners-Mindlin (RM) kinematics field. The core is made of orthotropic material and its in-plane transverse displacements are modeled using the third order of the Taylor's series extension. It provides the potentiality for considering both compressible and incompressible cores. To find these equations and boundary conditions, Hamilton's principle is used. Also, the effect of trapezoidal shape factor for cross-section of curved panel element ($1{\pm}z/R$) is considered. The natural frequency parameters of DCSP are obtained using Galerkin Method. Convergence studies are performed with the appropriate formulas in general form for three-layer sandwich plate, cylindrical and spherical shells (both deep and shallow). The influences of core stiffness, ratio of core to face sheets thickness and radii of curvatures are investigated. Finally, for the first time, an optimum range for the core to face sheet stiffness ratio by considering the existence of in-plane stress which significantly affects the natural frequencies of DCSP are presented.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.511-524
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• 2020

In this research, a simple four-variable trigonometric integral shear deformation model is proposed for the static behavior of advanced functionally graded (AFG) ceramic-metal plates supported by a two-parameter elastic foundation and subjected to a nonlinear hygro-thermo-mechanical load. The elastic properties, including both the thermal expansion and moisture coefficients of the plate, are also supposed to be varied within thickness direction by following a power law distribution in terms of volume fractions of the components of the material. The interest of the current theory is seen in its kinematics that use only four independent unknowns, while first-order plate theory and other higher-order plate theories require at least five unknowns. The "in-plane displacement field" of the proposed theory utilizes cosine functions in terms of thickness coordinates to calculate out-of-plane shear deformations. The vertical displacement includes flexural and shear components. The elastic foundation is introduced in mathematical modeling as a two-parameter Winkler-Pasternak foundation. The virtual displacement principle is applied to obtain the basic equations and a Navier solution technique is used to determine an analytical solution. The numerical results predicted by the proposed formulation are compared with results already published in the literature to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed theory. The influences of "moisture concentration", temperature, stiffness of foundation, shear deformation, geometric ratios and volume fraction variation on the mechanical behavior of AFG plates are examined and discussed in detail.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.551-568
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• 2023

In this research, a new two-dimensional (2D) and quasi three-dimensional (quasi-3D) higher order shear deformation theory is devised to address the bending problem of functionally graded plates resting on an elastic foundation. The displacement field of the suggested theories takes into account a parabolic transverse shear deformation shape function and satisfies shear stress free boundary conditions on the plate surfaces. It is expressed as a combination of trigonometric and exponential shear shape functions. The Pasternak mathematical model is considered for the elastic foundation. The material properties vary constantly across the FG plate thickness using different distributions as power-law, exponential and Mori-Tanaka model. By using the virtual works principle and Navier's technique, the governing equations of FG plates exposed to sinusoidal and evenly distributed loads are developed. The effects of material composition, geometrical parameters, stretching effect and foundation parameters on deflection, axial displacements and stresses are discussed in detail in this work. The obtained results are compared with those reported in earlier works to show the precision and simplicity of the current formulations. A very good agreement is found between the predicted results and the available solutions of other higher order theories. Future mechanical analyses of three-dimensionally FG plate structures can use the study's findings as benchmarks.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.51-64
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• 2021

This paper presents a high-order shear and normal deformation theory for the bending of FGM plates. The number of unknowns and governing equations of the present theory is reduced, and hence makes it simple to use. Unlike any other theory, the number of unknown functions involved in displacement field is only four, as against five or more in the case of other shear and normal deformation theories. Based on the novel shear and normal deformation theory, the position of neutral surface is determined and the governing equilibrium equations based on neutral surface are derived. There is no stretching-bending coupling effect in the neutral surface-based formulation, and consequently, the governing equations of functionally graded plates based on neutral surface have the simple forms as those of isotropic plates. Navier-type analytical solution is obtained for functionally graded plate subjected to transverse load for simply supported boundary conditions. The accuracy of the present theory is verified by comparing the obtained results with other quasi-3D higher-order theories reported in the literature. Other numerical examples are also presented to show the influences of the volume fraction distribution, geometrical parameters and power law index on the bending responses of the FGM plates are studied.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.711-719
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• 2018

The present work presents a free vibration and buckling analysis of orthotropic plates by proposing a novel two variable refined plate theory. Contrary to the conventional higher order shear deformation theories (HSDT) and the first shear deformation theory (FSDT), the proposed theory utilizes a novel displacement field which incorporates undetermined integral terms and involves only two unknowns. The governing equations are obtained from the dynamic version of principle of virtual works. The analytical solution of a simply supported orthotropic plate has been determined by using the Navier method. Numerical investigations are performed by employing the proposed model and the obtained results are compared with the existing HSDTs.