Dynamic instability of functionally graded material plates subjected to aero-thermo-mechanical loads

Abstract

Here, the dynamic instability characteristics of aero-thermo-mechanically stressed functionally graded plates are investigated using finite element procedure. Temperature field is assumed to be a uniform distribution over the plate surface and varied in thickness direction only. Material properties are assumed to be temperature dependent and graded in the thickness direction according to simple power law distribution. For the numerical illustrations, silicon nitride/stainless steel is considered as functionally graded material. The aerodynamic pressure is evaluated based on first-order high Mach number approximation to the linear potential flow theory. The boundaries of the instability region are obtained using the principle of Bolotin's method and are conveniently represented in the non-dimensional excitation frequency-load amplitude plane. The variation dynamic instability width is highlighted considering various parameters such as gradient index, temperature, aerodynamic and mechanical loads, thickness and aspect ratios, and boundary condition.