Self-consistent elastoplastic stress solutions for functionally graded material systems subjected to thermal transients

In this work, a self-consistent constitutive framework is proposed to describe the behaviour of a generic three-layered system containing a functionally graded material (FGM) layer subjected to thermal loading. Analytical and semi-analytical solutions are obtained to describe the thermo-elastic and thermo-elastoplastic behaviour of a three-layered system consisting of a metallic and a ceramic layer joined together by an FGM layer of arbitrary composition profile. Solutions for the stress distributions in a generic FGM system subjected to arbitrary temperature transient conditions are presented. The homogenisation of the local elastoplastic FGM behaviour in terms of the properties of its individual phases is performed using a self-consistent approach. In this work, power-law strain hardening behaviour is assumed for the FGM metallic phase. The stress distributions within the FGM systems are compared with accurate numerical solutions obtained from finite element analyses and good agreement is found throughout. Solutions are also given for the critical temperature transients required for the onset of plastic deformation within the three-layered systems. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.