Bending Solutions of FGM Reddy–Bickford Beams in Terms of Those of the Homogenous Euler–Bernoulli Beams

Abstract

In this paper, correspondence relations between the solutions of the static bending of functionally graded material (FGM) Reddy–Bickford beams (RBBs) and those of the corresponding homogenous Euler–Bernoulli beams are presented. The effective material properties of the FGM beams are assumed to vary continuously in the thickness direction. Governing equations for the titled problem are formulated via the principle of virtual displacements based on the third-order shear deformation beam theory, in which the higher-order shear force and bending moment are included. General solutions of the displacements and the stress resultants of the FGM RBBs are derived analytically in terms of the deflection of the reference homogenous Euler–Bernoulli beam with the same geometry, loadings and end conditions, which realize a classical and homogenized expression of the bending response of the shear deformable non-homogeneous FGM beams. Particular solutions for the FGM RBBs under specified end constraints and load conditions are given to validate the theory and methodology. The key merit of this work is to be capable of obtaining the high-accuracy solutions of thick FGM beams in terms of the classical beam theory solutions without dealing with the solution of the complicated coupling differential equations with boundary conditions of the problem.