A semi-analytical finite element model for the analysis of cylindrical shells made of functionally graded materials

In the present work, a study of free vibrations of functionally graded cylindrical shells made up of isotropic properties is carried out. A semi-analytical axisymmetric finite element model using the 3D linear elastic theory is developed. The 3D equations of motion are reduced to 2D by expanding the displacement field in Fourier series in the circumferential direction, involving circumferential harmonics. The material properties are graded in the thickness direction according to a power law. The model has been verified with simple benchmark problems and the results show that the frequency characteristics are found to be close to published results of isotropic cylindrical shells. New results are included for FGM shells.