ELASTICITY SOLUTION FOR BENDING RESPONSE OF FUNCTIONALLY GRADED SANDWICH PLATES UNDER THERMOMECHANICAL LOADING

The thermomechanical bending response of functionally graded sandwich plates has been investigated by the use of the new four variable refined plate theories. The plate properties are assumed to be varied through the thickness following a simple power law distribution in terms of volume fraction of material constituents. The theory presented is variationally consistent, does not require shear correction factor, and gives rise to transverse shear stress variation such that the transverse shear stresses vary parabolically across the thickness satisfying shear stress free surface conditions. The no symmetric sandwich plate faces are made of isotropic, two-constituent (ceramic-metal) material distribution through the thickness. The core layer is still homogeneous and made of an isotropic metal material. Several kinds of no symmetric sandwich plates are presented. The validity of the present theory is investigated by comparing some of the present results with those of the classical, the first-order, and the other higher-order theories. Field equations for functionally graded sandwich plates whose deformations are governed by either the shear deformation theories or the classical theory are derived. Displacement and stress functions of the plate for different values of the power-law exponent and thickness to-side ratios are presented. Numerical results for deflections and stresses of functionally graded metal-ceramic plates are investigated.