Large Deflection Behavior of Functionally Graded Plates Under Pressure Loads, Using Finite Strip Method

The application of the same FSM as that developed earlier by the authors in Ref. [

1

] is extended to the analysis of large deflection behavior of functionally graded plates subjected to the normal pressure loading. The fundamental equations for the plates of functionally graded material (FGM) are obtained by discretizing the plate into some functionally graded strips (FGS), which are developed by combining the Von-Karman theory for large transverse deflection and the concept of functionally graded material. The material properties of the functionally graded strips are assumed to vary continuously through the thickness of the plate, according to the simple power law distribution of the volume fractions of the constituents. The solution is obtained by the minimization of the total potential energy. The Newton-Raphson method is used to solve the resulting non-linear equilibrium equations. Numerical results for square functionally graded plates subjected to normal pressure loading are generated by varying the combination of the constituents. The effects of material properties on the stress field through the thickness and on the variation of the central deflection at a given value of normal pressure loading are determined and discussed. The results are also compared with those available in the literature, wherever possible. Some representative results are given in the table below. The good comparison of the results verifies the current large deflection FSM analysis for the case of functionally graded plates.