Indentation of a transversely loaded functionally graded rectangular plate by a rigid spherical indentor

Author(s):  
Ali Nikbakht ◽  
Mojtaba Sadighi ◽  
Alireza Fallahi Arezoodar

Functionally graded materials are multiphase composites mainly composed of a ceramic and a metal; thus, they merge the heat, oxidation and corrosion resistance typical of ceramics, and the strength, ductility and toughness typical of metals. Many of the present and possible applications of functionally graded materials involve contact loading. Here, the contact problem of a functionally graded simply supported plate with finite dimensions by a rigid spherical punch is studied by an analytical–numerical method. The contact rule will be derived by solving the equations of equilibrium analytically in terms of the displacement field components and by taking advantage of a numerical method in finding the contact parameters. The stress–strain relation is assumed to be linear and is represented by a refined volume fraction based model originally proposed by Tamura–Tomota–Ozawa model. The results of the analytical–numerical approach are validated by using ABAQUS finite element package. The analytical–numerical results are used to investigate the effect of parameters such as material distribution, punch radius, plate span and thickness on the contact rule and stress distribution in the plate. The obtained results show that the influence of the material non-homogeneity on the contact rule and stress distribution is quite significant. In addition, the acquired results illustrate that increasing the indentor diameter and the thickness of the plate increase the contact force for equal amount of indentation.

1999 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. W. Gao ◽  
S. J. White ◽  
C. Y. Wang

Abstract A combined experimental and numerical investigation of the solidification process during gravity casting of functionally graded materials (FGMs) is conducted. Focus is placed on the interplay between the freezing front propagation and particle sedimentation. Experiments were performed in a rectangular ingot using pure substances as the matrix and glass beads as the particle phase. The time evolutions of local particle volume fractions were measured by bifurcated fiber optical probes working in the reflection mode. The effects of various processing parameters were explored. It is found that there exists a particle-free zone in the top portion of the solidified ingot, followed by a graded particle distribution region towards the bottom. Higher superheat results in slower solidification and hence a thicker particle-free zone and a higher particle concentration near the bottom. The higher initial particle volume fraction leads to a thinner particle-free region. Lower cooling temperatures suppress particle settling. A one-dimensional solidification model was also developed, and the model equations were solved numerically using a fixed-grid, finite-volume method. The model was then validated against the experimental results, and the validated computer code was used as a tool for efficient computational prototyping of an Al/SiC FGM.


2006 ◽  
Vol 74 (5) ◽  
pp. 861-874 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florin Bobaru

We present a numerical approach for material optimization of metal-ceramic functionally graded materials (FGMs) with temperature-dependent material properties. We solve the non-linear heterogeneous thermoelasticity equations in 2D under plane strain conditions and consider examples in which the material composition varies along the radial direction of a hollow cylinder under thermomechanical loading. A space of shape-preserving splines is used to search for the optimal volume fraction function which minimizes stresses or minimizes mass under stress constraints. The control points (design variables) that define the volume fraction spline function are independent of the grid used in the numerical solution of the thermoelastic problem. We introduce new temperature-dependent objective functions and constraints. The rule of mixture and the modified Mori-Tanaka with the fuzzy inference scheme are used to compute effective properties for the material mixtures. The different micromechanics models lead to optimal solutions that are similar qualitatively. To compute the temperature-dependent critical stresses for the mixture, we use, for lack of experimental data, the rule-of-mixture. When a scalar stress measure is minimized, we obtain optimal volume fraction functions that feature multiple graded regions alternating with non-graded layers, or even non-monotonic profiles. The dominant factor for the existence of such local minimizers is the non-linear dependence of the critical stresses of the ceramic component on temperature. These results show that, in certain cases, using power-law type functions to represent the material gradation in FGMs is too restrictive.


Materials ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emilio Martínez-Pañeda

We investigate the numerical implementation of functionally graded properties in the context of the finite element method. The macroscopic variation of elastic properties inherent to functionally graded materials (FGMs) is introduced at the element level by means of the two most commonly used schemes: (i) nodal based gradation, often via an auxiliary (non-physical) temperature-dependence, and (ii) Gauss integration point based gradation. These formulations are extensively compared by solving a number of paradigmatic boundary value problems for which analytical solutions can be obtained. The nature of the notable differences revealed by the results is investigated in detail. We provide a user subroutine for the finite element package ABAQUS to overcome the limitations of the most popular approach for implementing FGMs in commercial software. The use of reliable, element-based formulations to define the material property variation could be key in fracture assessment of FGMs and other non-homogeneous materials.


Author(s):  
Ali Nikbakht ◽  
Alireza Fallahi Arezoodar ◽  
Mojtaba Sadighi ◽  
Ali Tale Zadeh Lari

Graded materials, also known as functionally graded materials (FGMs), are multiphase composites mainly composed of a ceramic and a metal; thus, they exploit the heat, oxidation and corrosion resistance typical of ceramics, and the strength, ductility and toughness typical of metals. These materials are mainly used as heat barriers. In addition, many of the present and potential applications of FGMs involve contact problems. On the other hand, the production process of FGMs is somewhat complex and leaves some defects in the produced structure. One of the most important defects in such structures is surface cracks. Here, the combination of the contact and crack problems is investigated in a functionally graded rectangular plate containing a semi–elliptic surface crack indented by a frictionless rigid spherical indenter. The plate is simply supported and the crack is located in the middle of the plate surface in the tension part. The crack surface is parallel to one of the plate edges. The gradient of mechanical properties variation is considered through the thickness of the plate and the volume fraction distribution of the constituting phases is modeled by a polynomial function and the Poisson’s ratio is kept constant. The analyzing of the problem is divided into two steps. At the first step, for an uncracked plate the equations of equilibrium are derived in terms of the displacement field and are solved numerically to find the contact rule. As the second step in studying the problem, the contact problem of a cracked plate is modeled by using ABAQUS finite element package. The aim of this step is to find the effect of the presence of the crack on the contact rule. The optimum mesh for the ABAQUS model is found by using the results of the first step. In order to do so, an ABAQUS model is created for the uncracked plate. The analytical results and the obtained results from ABAQUS for specified plate and indenter dimensions and material properties are compared. After finding the optimum mesh, a crack is added to the ABAQUS model of the plate under contact loading. The effects of gradient changes and indenter dimensions on the contact rule and stress distribution at the crack tip are then investigated by using the obtained ABAQUS model. The acquired results show that the influence of the material nonhomogeneity on the stress distribution around the crack tip and in the plate (uncracked and cracked) and contact rule can be quite significant. In general, increasing the overall volume fraction of the metal phase increases the load carrying capacity in an uncracked plate. In a cracked plate, the changes in material distribution as well as the changes of the indenter diameter does not affect the results that much.


Author(s):  
Saeed Rouhi ◽  
Seyed H Alavi

In this paper, the elastic properties of functionally graded materials reinforced by single-walled carbon nanotubes are studied. Three different matrices, including steel-silicon, iron-alumina and alumina-zirconia are considered. Besides, the effects of nanotube length, radius and volume fraction on the Young’s modulus of functionally graded matrices reinforced by single-walled carbon nanotubes are investigated. It is observed that short nanotubes not only cannot increase the longitudinal elastic modulus of the matrices, but sometimes decrease their elastic modulus. Of the three selected matrices, steel-silicon matrix would have the most enhancement. Investigation of the effect of nanotube volume fraction on the mechanical properties of nanocomposites shows that increasing the volume fraction of long single-walled carbon nanotube results in increasing the elastic modulus of the nanocomposites.


Author(s):  
M. Rahaeifard ◽  
M. H. Kahrobaiyan ◽  
S. A. Moeini ◽  
M. T. Ahmadian ◽  
M. Hoviattalab

In this paper, two lowest resonant frequencies and sensitivities of an AFM V-Shaped microcantilever made of functionally graded materials are studied. The beam is modeled by Euler-Bernoulli beam theory in which rotary inertia and shear deformation is neglected. It is assumed that the beam is made of a mixture of metal and ceramic with properties varying through the thickness of the beam. This variation is function of volume fraction of beam material constituents. The interaction between AFM tip and surface is modeled by two linear springs which expresses the normal and lateral contact stiffness. A relationship is developed to evaluate the sensitivity of FGM micro cantilever beam. Effect of volume fraction of materials and geometric parameters on resonant frequencies and sensitivities is studied. Results show that natural frequencies and sensitivities are significantly affected by volume fraction of material constituents and geometric parameters. Using these results, optimum geometric parameters and mass distributions of material constituents can be chosen so that high resolution images could be obtained.


Author(s):  
Souhir Zghal ◽  
Fakhreddine Dammak

This paper investigates the vibrational behavior of beams made of functionally graded materials using a mixed formulation. Unlike the other high order shear deformation theories (HSDTs), the proposed formulation is elaborated within a double field of displacements and stresses which offers the possibility of the development of low order linear elements with enhanced accuracy. As well as, the effect of the transverse shear strains and the zero condition of the transverse shear stresses on the top and bottom surfaces are verified. The material characteristics of the beams are described via a power law distribution in order to take into account the continuous variation of the volume fraction of its constituents along the thickness direction. Numerical simulations are conducted to show the influence of power law index, slenderness ratios, and boundary conditions on natural frequencies of functionally graded beams. Results demonstrate the efficiency and the applicability of the model based on a refined mixed formulation and its ability to predict the vibrational behavior of functionally graded beams with good accuracy.


2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 741-763 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Kiani ◽  
Moslem Sheikhkhoshkar ◽  
Ali Jamalpoor ◽  
Mostafa Khanzadi

In the present article, according to the nonlocal elasticity theory within the framework of the third-order shear deformable plate assumption, the theoretical analysis of thermomechanical vibration response of magneto-electro-thermo-elastic nanoplate made of functionally graded materials resting on the visco-Pasternak medium is carried out. The simply supported magneto-electro-thermo-elastic nanoplate is supposed to subject to initial external electric, magnetic potentials, and temperature environment. The material characteristics of magneto-electro-thermo-elastic nanoplate are assumed to be variable continuously across the thickness direction based upon power law distribution. Hamilton’s principle is utilized to achieve the partial differential equations and corresponding boundary conditions. The equilibrium equations are solved analytically to determine the complex eigenfrequency using Navier’s approach which satisfies the simply supported boundary conditions. Numerical studies are performed to illustrate the dependency of the natural frequency of the system on the damping coefficient of the visco-Pasternak medium, nonlocal parameter, aspect ratio, temperature change, volume fraction index of functionally graded material, initial external electric voltage, initial external magnetic potential, and plate thickness. It is clearly indicated that these factors have highly significant impacts on the dynamic behavior of the proposed system.


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