Buckling response of moderately thick fluid-infiltrated porous annular sector plates

In the present article, the buckling of a fluid-infiltrated porous plate is investigated using Mindlin plate theory and an analytical procedure. A cosine rule for the pore distribution across the plate thickness is assumed with a coefficient defining porosity level. The governing stability equations are rewritten in terms of four auxiliary functions and decoupled with the aid of some mathematical manipulations. The decoupled partial differential equations are solved analytically by assuming simply supported radial edges for the plate. The critical buckling loads are calculated by considering fluid-saturated and fluid free conditions for the interconnected network of pores for different sector angles, thickness-radius ratios, coefficients of plate porosity, aspect ratios, and boundary conditions. It is found that the pore fluid compressibility affects the buckling load significantly.