Investigation on Thermomechanical Bending of Functionally Graded Sandwich Plates Using a Novel Combined 2D Integral Plate Model

Abstract

This study presents the flexural analysis of Ti-6A1-4V/ZrO₂ functionally graded (FG) sandwich plates under combined thermal and mechanical loading via exponential-cubic-sinusoidal integral shear deformation theory. The current formulation used in the modeling provides a parabolic distribution of transverse shear stresses without requiring additional factors in the formulation. Various sandwich plate models with different layer thicknesses and material types are considered. The FG layers vary continuously and smoothly according to exponential and power-law functions. The governing differential equations of the system are derived and solved analytically using the virtual work principle and Navier’s approach. Benchmark comparisons are performed to validate and show the accuracy of the proposed model. Various parametric examples are presented to illustrate the effect of the geometry, dimensions, FG sandwich type and material gradient on the static flexural response of the studied structure.