Thermal buckling of functionally graded plates based on higher order theory

Equilibrium and stability equations of a rectangular plate made of functionally graded material (FGM) under thermal loads are derived, based on the higher order shear deformation plate theory. Assuming that the material properties vary as a power form of the thickness coordinate variable z and using the variational method, the system of fundamental partial differential equations is established. The derived equilibrium and stability equations for functionally graded plates (FGPs) are identical to the equations for laminated composite plates. A buckling analysis of a functionally graded plate under four types of thermal loads is carried out and results in closed-form solutions. The critical buckling temperature relations are reduced to the respective relations for functionally graded plates with a linear composition of constituent materials and homogeneous plates. The results are compared with tire critical buckling temperatures obtained for functionally graded plates based on classical plate theory given in tire literature. The study concludes that higher order shear deformation theory accurately predicts the behavior of functionally graded plates, Whereas the classical plate theory overestimates buckling temperatures.