Nonlinear analysis of functionally graded plates and shallow shells

In this paper, an analytic solution is provided for the coupled large deflection of plates and shallow shells made of functionally graded materials (FGMs) under transverse mechanical loads and a temperature field. The material properties of the functionally graded shells are assumed to vary continuously through the thickness of the shell, according to a power law distribution of the volume fraction of the constituents. The fundamental equations for thin rectangular shallow shells of FGM are obtained using the von Karman theory for large transverse deflection, and the solution is obtained in terms of Fourier series. The effect of material properties, shell geometry and thermomechanical loading on the stress field are determined and discussed. The results reveal that thermomechanical coupling effects play a major role in dictating the response of the functionally graded shell. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.