Large deflection analysis of thin-walled members with functionally graded materials along the thickness direction
A.H.A. Abdelrahman,Wen-Long Gao,Sameh Lotfy,Guanhua Li,Si-Wei Liu
Abstract
While functionally graded materials (FGMs) offer significant potential for optimizing structural elements, thin-walled members featuring non-uniform material distributions encounter complex buckling modes due to inherent cross-sectional asymmetry. Addressing the challenge of efficiently modeling these behaviors, this paper introduces a computational framework combining advanced cross-sectional analysis with a large deflection beam-column formulation. First, a novel "functionally graded segments method" is developed for thin-walled open sections with FGMs graded along the thickness direction. This algorithm robustly computes crucial cross-sectional properties, specifically capturing the shear center coordinates and Wagner coefficients resulting from material gradients. Subsequently, a new warping line finite element is formulated that explicitly integrates these nonsymmetric FGM section properties. Through a series of validation examples, the proposed method demonstrates remarkable accuracy in predicting large-deflection responses, offering a computationally efficient alternative to complex shell or solid finite element models. This research provides a versatile tool specifically designed for the advanced analysis and design of open-section thin-walled members utilizing FGMs.
Key Words
functionally graded; large deflection; open-sections; section properties; thin-walled
Address
A.H.A. Abdelrahman — Department of Structural Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Mansoura University, Egypt
Wen-Long Gao — Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
Sameh Lotfy — Civil Engineering Department, Misr Higher Institute for Engineering and Technology, Egypt
Guanhua Li — Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
Si-Wei Liu — Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, China
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