Hygro-thermo-mechanical based bending analysis of symmetric and unsymmetric power-law, exponential and sigmoidal FG sandwich beams

Abstract

In the present work, an attempt has been made to carry out the bending analysis of sandwich FGM beams under combined hygro-thermo-mechanical loadings. Temperature and moisture-dependent material properties are used during the present study. A comparative study has also been carried out between the beams made up of different homogenization rules. The study has been carried out using recently proposed finite element-based HOZT. The present model satisfies the inter-laminar transverse shear stress continuity condition at interfaces and the zero condition at the top and bottom surfaces of the beam. The data is presented in the form of tables for displacement and stresses and graphs representing stress distribution across the thickness of the beam. For the first time, upward displacement of the sandwich FGM beam has been reported in the present work when subjected to hygro-thermo-mechanical loading. Several new results are also reported in the present work, which will serve as a benchmark for future studies in a similar direction.