Thermal buckling of a simply supported moderately thick rectangular FGM plate

Equilibrium and stability equations of a moderately thick rectangular plate made of functionally graded materials under thermal loads are derived based on the first order shear deformation theory. It is assumed that the material properties vary as a power form of thickness coordinate variable z. The derived equilibrium and buckling equations are then solved analytically for a plate with simply supported boundary conditions. Two types of thermal loading, uniform temperature rise and gradient through the thickness are considered, and the buckling temperatures are derived. The influences of the plate aspect ratio, the relative thickness, the gradient index and the transverse shear on buckling temperature difference are all discussed. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.