Bending analysis of an imperfect FGM plates under hygro-thermo-mechanical loading with analytical validation

Flexural bending analysis of perfect and imperfect functionally graded materials plates under hygro-thermo-mechanical loading are investigated in this present paper. Due to technical problems during FGM fabrication, porosities and micro-voids can be created inside FGM samples which may lead to the reduction in density and strength of materials. In this investigation, the FGM plates are assumed to have even and uneven distributions of porosities over the plate cross-section. The modified rule of mixture is used to approximate material properties of the FGM plates including the porosity volume fraction. In order the elastic coefficients, thermal coefficient and moisture expansion coefficient of the plate are assumed to be graded in the thickness direction. The elastic foundation is modeled as two-parameter Pasternak foundation. The equilibrium equations are given and a number of examples are solved to illustrate bending response of Metal-Ceramic plates subjected to hygro-thermo-mechanical effects and resting on elastic foundations. The influences played by many parameters are investigated.