A Finite Element Procedure for Thermal Buckling Analysis of Functionally Graded Shell Structures

The purpose of this paper is to explore the buckling problems of functionally graded conical shells due to thermal loadings. The response is obtained for a uniform increase in temperature along the thickness direction of the shell. The equations governing the behavior of the conical shell are written from the modified Reissner-Mindlin formulation. Properties of the shell are estimated using the Voigt rule of mixture via the power function. The temperature dependence of the material constituents is also considered. A comparison study of the obtained results with those available in the literature is presented in order to validate the proposed model. Then, the effects of the power-law exponent and geometrical parameters are examined.