A modified first shear deformation theory for three-dimensional thermal post-buckling analysis of FGM plates

In this paper, the three-dimensional post-buckling analysis of functionally graded materials plate (FGM) with temperature independent (TID) and dependent (TD) material properties under different types of thermal loads is examined. The analysis is performed by a modified first-order enhanced solid-shell element. The formulation is based on the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) with a special representation of the transverse shear strains imposed in the compatible strain part. To subdue locking problems, two methods are employed the assumed natural strain (ANS) method and the enhanced assumed strain (EAS) method with a minimal number of internal parameters. Numerical results of the present research are compared and validated with the existing studies on the thermal post-buckling of FGM plates. Numerical results are also provided to explore the effects of power-law index and different geometrical parameters of the FGM plates subjected to different types of thermal loads.