Exact and numerical elastodynamic solutions for thick-walled functionally graded cylinders subjected to pressure shocks

In the present paper, analytical and numerical elastodynamic solutions are developed for long thick-walled functionally graded cylinders subjected to arbitrary dynamic and shock pressures. Both transient dynamic response and elastic wave propagation characteristics are studied in these non-homogeneous structures. Variations of the material properties across the thickness are described according to both polynomial and power law functions. A numerically consistent transfinite element formulation is presented for both functions whereas the exact solution is presented for the power law function. The FGM cylinder is not divided into isotropic sub-cylinders. An approach associated with dividing the dynamic radial displacement expression into quasi-static and dynamic parts and expansion of the transient wave functions in terms of a series of the eigenfunctions is employed to propose the exact solution. Results are obtained for various exponents of the functions of the material properties distributions, various radius ratios, and various dynamic and shock loads. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.