Free Vibration Analysis of Reinforced Composite Functionally Graded Plates with Steady State Thermal Conditions

The present paper deals with free vibration of functionally graded fiber reinforced rectangular plates subjected to thermal loads. The rectangular plates are assumed orthotropic. The continuous grading fiber reinforced plates have a smooth variation in matrix volume fraction in the thickness direction. Two different types of volume fraction profiles through the thickness of plate are proposed: classic and symmetric. As the plate is thick, the equations of motion are derived based on three dimensional theory of elasticity. Inevitably, 3D General differential quadrature method is used instead of regular solving methods in order to discretize equations of motion equations as linear set of algebraic equations. The effects of temperature, volume fraction profiles, and boundary conditions are investigated. Some interesting conclusions obtained when the material properties were assumed to be temperature-dependent. It has been observed that temperature and functionality of FG plate have significant effect on the natural frequencies of the plate.