Quasi-3D higher-order shear deformation theory for thermal buckling analysis of FGM plates based on a meshless method

Abstract

This study introduces a new quasi-3D (three-dimensional) higher-order shear deformation theory (HSDT) capable of accounting for the through-thickness deformations with only four unknowns, which is suited to the numerical method for buckling analysis of functionally graded material (FGM) plates in thermal environments. The refined quasi-3D HSDT is incorporated into the improved meshless radial point interpolation method (RPIM) in order to scrutinize the thermal buckling responses of FGM plates. In the improved RPIM, the radial basis function is presented in a compactly supported form to build the shape functions without any fitting parameters. Parametric studies on the buckling behavior of FGM plates under various types of through-thickness temperature changes are conducted and the effects of temperature distribution on the plate surface are investigated. Results illustrate the accuracy of the proposed meshless method based on the refined quasi-3D HSDT and the improved RPIM for predicting the thermal buckling behavior of FGM plates.