Three-dimensional analysis of multi-layered functionally graded anisotropic cylindrical panel under thermomechanical loading

A general method is presented for the analysis of a thermoelastic multi-layered cylindrical panel made of an oblique pile of functionally graded layers having orthotropic material properties. The two edges of the panel are under simply-supported and zero temperature conditions. Steady-state thermal and mechanical boundary conditions can be applied on the innermost and outermost surfaces of the cylindrical panel. In addition, the functionally graded material is assumed to be of a power law type in the radial direction and the homogeneous solution in each layer is obtained in terms of the pseudo-Stroh formalism. The solution for the multi-layered cylindrical panel is derived based on the transfer matrix method. Novel to this work, is an alternative but equivalent formulation for the transfer matrix method which is more concise in expression. The derived solution is subsequently applied to investigate a five-layered cylindrical panel. The influence of the gradation of the material and ply angle on the distribution of temperature, displacements and stresses are investigated. The results clearly show that material gradation and ply angle significantly influence the elastic fields and temperature. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.