Nonlinear thermo-mechanical stability of shear deformable FGM sandwich shallow spherical shells with tangential edge constraints

Abstract

This paper presents an analytical approach to investigate the nonlinear axisymmetric response of moderately thick FGM sandwich shallow spherical shells resting on elastic foundations, exposed to thermal environments and subjected to uniform external pressure. Material properties are assumed to be temperature independent, and effective properties of FGM layer are graded in the thickness direction according to a simple power law distribution in terms of the volume fractions of the constituents. Formulations are based on first-order shear deformation shell theory taking geometrical nonlinearity, initial geometrical imperfection, Pasternak type elastic foundations and various degree of tangential constraint of boundary edge into consideration. Approximate solutions are assumed to satisfy clamped boundary condition and Galerkin method is applied to derive closed-form expressions of critical buckling loads and nonlinear load-deflection relation. Effects of geometrical parameters, thickness of face sheets, foundation stiffness, imperfection, thermal environments and degree of tangential edge constraints on the nonlinear stability of FGM sandwich shallow spherical shells are analyzed and discussed.