• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.257-270
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• 2017

In this article, an efficient and simple refined theory is proposed for buckling analysis of functionally graded plates by using a new displacement field which includes undetermined integral variables. This theory contains only four unknowns, with is even less than the first shear deformation theory (FSDT). Governing equations are obtained from the principle of virtual works. The closed-form solutions of rectangular plates are determined. Comparison studies are carried out to check the validity of obtained results. The influences of loading conditions and variations of power of functionally graded material, modulus ratio, aspect ratio, and thickness ratio on the critical buckling load of functionally graded plates are examined and discussed.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.517-546
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• 2014

This paper proposes a refined electro-mechanical beam formulation. Lagrange-type polynomials are used to interpolate the unknowns over the beam cross section. Three- (L3), four- (L4), and nine-point(L9) polynomials are considered which lead to linear, bi-linear, and quadratic displacement field approximations over the beam cross-section. Finite elements are obtained by employing the principle of virtual displacements in conjunction with the Carrera Unified Formulation (CUF). The finite element matrices and vectors are expressed in terms of fundamental nuclei whose forms do not depend on the assumptions made. Additional refined beam models are implemented by introducing further discretizations, over the beam cross-section. Some assessments from bibliography have been solved in order to validate the electro-mechanical formulation. The investigations conducted show that the present formulation is able to detect the electro-mechanical interaction.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.273-287
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• 2015

In this paper, a free vibration analysis of functionally graded beam made of porous material is presented. The material properties are supposed to vary along the thickness direction of the beam according to the rule of mixture, which is modified to approximate the material properties with the porosity phases. For this purpose, a new displacement field based on refined shear deformation theory is implemented. The theory accounts for parabolic distribution of the transverse shear strains and satisfies the zero traction boundary conditions on the surfaces of the beam without using shear correction factors. Based on the present refined shear deformation beam theory, the equations of motion are derived from Hamilton's principle. The rule of mixture is modified to describe and approximate material properties of the FG beams with porosity phases. The accuracy of the present solutions is verified by comparing the obtained results with the existing solutions. Illustrative examples are given also to show the effects of varying gradients, porosity volume fraction, aspect ratios, and thickness to length ratios on the free vibration of the FG beams.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.54 no.5
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• pp.923-936
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• 2015

In this paper, a simple n-order refined theory based on neutral surface position is developed for bending and frees vibration analyses of functionally graded beams. The present theory is variationally consistent, uses the n-order polynomial term to represent the displacement field, does not require shear correction factor, and gives rise to transverse shear stress variation such that the transverse shear stresses vary parabolically across the thickness satisfying shear stress free surface conditions. The governing equations are derived by employing the Hamilton's principle and the physical neutral surface concept. The accuracy of the present solutions is verified by comparing the obtained results with available published ones.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.671-690
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• 2016

This work presents a static flexure analysis of laminated composite plates by utilizing a higher order shear deformation theory in which the stretching effect is incorporated. The axial displacement field utilizes sinusoidal function in terms of thickness coordinate to consider the transverse shear deformation influence. The cosine function in thickness coordinate is employed in transverse displacement to introduce the influence of transverse normal strain. The highlight of the present method is that, in addition to incorporating the thickness stretching effect (${\varepsilon}_z{\neq}0$), the displacement field is constructed with only 5 unknowns, as against 6 or more in other higher order shear and normal deformation theory. Governing equations of the present theory are determined by employing the principle of virtual work. The closed-form solutions of simply supported cross-ply and angle-ply laminated composite plates have been obtained using Navier solution. The numerical results of present method are compared with those of the classical plate theory (CPT), first order shear deformation theory (FSDT), higher order shear deformation theory (HSDT) of Reddy, higher order shear and normal deformation theory (HSNDT) and exact three dimensional elasticity theory wherever applicable. The results predicted by present theory are in good agreement with those of higher order shear deformation theory and the elasticity theory. It can be concluded that the proposed method is accurate and simple in solving the static bending response of laminated composite plates.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.311-325
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• 2018

This article presents the bending analysis of FGM rectangular plates resting on non-uniform elastic foundations in thermal environment. Theoretical formulations are based on a recently developed refined shear deformation theory. The displacement field of the present theory is chosen based on nonlinear variations in the in-plane displacements through the thickness of the plate. The present theory satisfies the free transverse shear stress conditions on the top and bottom surfaces of the plate without using shear correction factor. Unlike the conventional trigonometric shear deformation theory, the present refined shear deformation theory contains only four unknowns as against five in case of other shear deformation theories. The material properties of the functionally graded plates are assumed to vary continuously through the thickness, according to a simple power law distribution of the volume fraction of the constituents. The elastic foundation is modeled as non-uniform foundation. The results of the shear deformation theories are compared together. Numerical examples cover the effects of the gradient index, plate aspect ratio, side-to-thickness ratio and elastic foundation parameters on the thermo-mechanical behavior of functionally graded plates. Numerical results show that the present theory can archive accuracy comparable to the existing higher order shear deformation theories that contain more number of unknowns.

• 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.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.251-264
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• 2016

In this paper, a simple and refined nonlocal hyperbolic higher-order beam theory is proposed for bending and vibration response of nanoscale beams. The present formulation incorporates the nonlocal scale parameter which can capture the small scale effect, and it considers both shear deformation and thickness stretching effects by a hyperbolic variation of all displacements across the thickness without employing shear correction factor. The highlight of this formulation is that, in addition to modeling the displacement field with only two unknowns, the thickness stretching effect (${\varepsilon}_z{\neq}0$) is also included in the present model. By utilizing the Hamilton's principle and the nonlocal differential constitutive relations of Eringen, the equations of motion of the nanoscale beam are reformulated. Verification studies demonstrate that the developed theory is not only more accurate than the refined nonlocal beam theory, but also comparable with the higher-order shear deformation theories which contain more number of unknowns. The theoretical formulation proposed herein may serve as a reference for nonlocal theories as applied to the static and dynamic responses of complex-nanobeam-system such as complex carbon nanotube system.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.409-423
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• 2015

In the present work, a simple and refined trigonometric higher-order beam theory is developed for bending and vibration of functionally graded beams. The beauty of this theory is that, in addition to modeling the displacement field with only 3 unknowns as in Timoshenko beam theory, the thickness stretching effect (${\varepsilon}_Z{\neq}0$) is also included in the present theory. Thus, the present refined beam theory has fewer number of unknowns and equations of motion than the other shear and normal deformations theories, and it considers also the transverse shear deformation effects without requiring shear correction factors. The neutral surface position for such beams in which the material properties vary in the thickness direction is determined. Based on the present refined trigonometric higher-order beam theory and the neutral surface concept, the equations of motion are derived from Hamilton's principle. Numerical results of the present theory are compared with other theories to show the effect of the inclusion of transverse normal strain on the deflections and stresses.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.385-410
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• 2017

This work presents a simple and refined nth-order shear deformation theory for mechanical and thermal buckling behaviors of functionally graded (FG) plates resting on elastic foundation. The proposed refined nth-order shear deformation theory has a new displacement field which includes undetermined integral terms and contains only four unknowns. Governing equations are obtained from the principle of minimum total potential energy. A Navier type analytical solution methodology is also presented for simply supported FG plates resting on elastic foundation which predicts accurate solution. The accuracy of the present model is checked by comparing the computed results with those obtained by classical plate theory (CPT), first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) and higher-order shear deformation theory (HSDT). Moreover, results demonstrate that the proposed theory can achieve the same accuracy of the existing HSDTs which have more number of variables.