Effect of shear stresses on the deflection and optimal configuration of a rectangular FGM structure

This paper presents a static study of a rectangular functional graded material (FGM) plate, simply supported on its four edges, adopting a refined higher order theory that looks for, only, four unknowns, without taking into account any corrective factor of the deformation energy with the satisfaction of the zero shear stress conditions on the upper and lower faces of the plate. We will have determined the contribution of these stresses in the transverse deflection of the plate, as well as their effects on the axial stress within the interfaces between the layers (to avoid any problem of imperfections such as delamination) and on the top and bottom edges of the plate in order to take into account the fatigue phenomenon when choosing the distribution law of the properties used during the design of the plate. A numerical statement, in percentage, of the contribution of the shear effect is made in order to show the reliability of the adopted theory. We will also have demonstrated the need to add the shear effect when the aspect ratio is small or large. Code routines are programmed to obtain numerical results illustrating the validity of the model proposed in the theory compared to those available in the literature.