Nonlinear bending response of functionally graded plates subjected to transverse loads and in thermal environments

Nonlinear bending analysis is presented for a simply supported, functionally graded rectangular plate subjected to a transverse uniform or sinusoidal load and in thermal environments. Material properties are assumed to be temperature-dependent, and graded in the thickness direction according to a simple power-law distribution in terms of the volume fractions of the constituents. The governing equations of a functionally graded plate are based on Reddyʹs higher-order shear deformation plate theory that includes thermal effects. Two cases of the in-plane boundary conditions are considered. A mixed Galerkin-perturbation technique is employed to determine the load-deflection and load-bending moment curves. The numerical illustrations concern nonlinear bending response of functional graded rectangular plates with two constituent materials. The influences played by temperature rise, the character of in-plane boundary conditions, transverse shear deformation, plate aspect ratio and volume fraction distributions are studied.