Thermo-elastic analysis of functionally graded circular plates resting on a gradient hybrid foundation

Abstract

In this paper an attempt is made to investigate the thermo-elastic behavior of functionally graded (FG) circular plates embedded on gradient hybrid foundation and subjected to non-uniform asymmetric mechanical and uniform thermal loads. The supporting medium is modeled as the Horvath–Colasanti type foundation with variable coefficients in the radial and circumferential directions. The thermal environment is assumed to be uniform over the bottom and top surfaces of the plate and varies along the thickness direction only. The governing state equations are extracted in terms of displacements and temperature based on 3D theory of thermo-elasticity, and assuming the material properties of the plate except the Poisson’s ratio vary continuously throughout the thickness direction according to an exponential function. These equations are solved using a semi-analytical method and some numerical results are displayed to clarify the effects of material heterogeneity indices, foundation stiffness coefficients, foundation gradient indices, loads ratio and temperature difference between the upper and lower surfaces of the plate on displacement and stress fields. The results are reported for the first time and the new results can be used as a benchmark for researchers to validate their numerical and analytical methods in the future.