Bending analysis of P-FGM plates resting on nonuniform elastic foundations and subjected to thermo-mechanical loading

In a thermal environment, using the formulations of the refined shear deformation theory, the flexion of the functionally graduated rectangular plates (P-FGM) based on nonuniform elastic foundations is presented. The layers resting on nonuniform elastic foundation are subjected to symmetrical distributed loads. Nonlinear variations in the in-plane displacements through the thickness of the plate are based on the choice of the displacement field of the present theory. Without including shear correction factor, the present theory satisfies the free transverse shear stress conditions on the top and bottom surfaces of the plate. The present refined shear deformation theory contains only four unknowns. According to a power law of the volume fraction, the properties of the materials of this plate vary continuously across the thickness. Comparisons with other results have been made nonuniform foundation. The effects of the index and the dimensions of the P-FGM plate and of the elastic foundation parameters on the thermomechanical behavior are studied. Numerical results show accuracy comparable to other theories in the literature.