Nonlinear mechanical, thermal and thermo-mechanical postbuckling of imperfect eccentrically stiffened thin FGM cylindrical panels on elastic foundations

Abstract

This paper presents an analytical approach to investigate the nonlinear stability analysis of eccentrically stiffened thin FGM cylindrical panels on elastic foundations subjected to mechanical loads, thermal loads and the combination of these loads. The material properties are assumed to be temperature-dependent and graded in the thickness direction according to a simple power law distribution. Governing equations are derived basing on the classical shell theory incorporating von Karman–Donnell type nonlinearity, initial geometrical imperfection, the Lekhnitsky smeared stiffeners technique and Pasternak type elastic foundations. Explicit relations of load–deflection curves for FGM cylindrical panels are determined by applying stress function and Galerkin method. The effects of material and geometrical properties, imperfection, elastic foundations and stiffeners on the buckling and postbuckling of the FGM panels are discussed in detail. The obtained results are validated by comparing with those in the literature..