Nonlinear response of shear deformable FGM curved panels resting on elastic foundations and subjected to mechanical and thermal loading conditions

This paper presents an analytical investigation on the nonlinear response of thick functionally graded doubly curved shallow panels resting on elastic foundations and subjected to some conditions of mechanical, thermal, and thermomechanical loads. Material properties are assumed to be temperature independent, and graded in the thickness direction according to a simple power law distribution in terms of the volume fractions of constituents. The formulations are based on higher order shear deformation shell theory taking into account geometrical nonlinearity, initial geometrical imperfection and Pasternak type elastic foundation. By applying Galerkin method, explicit relations of load-deflection curves for simply supported curved panels are determined. Effects of material and geometrical properties, in-plane boundary restraint, foundation stiffness and imperfection on the buckling and post-buckling loading capacity of the panels are analyzed and discussed. The novelty of this study results from accounting for higher order transverse shear deformation and panel-foundation interaction in analyzing nonlinear stability of thick functionally graded cylindrical and spherical panels. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.