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In this work, a finite element model to perform the thermal–structural analysis of beams made of functionally graded material (FGM) is presented. The formulation is based on the third-order shear deformation theory. The constituents of the FGM are considered to vary only in the thickness direction, and the effective material properties are evaluated by means of the rule of mixtures. The volume distribution of the top constituent is modeled using the power law form. A comparison of the present finite element model with the numerical results available in the literature reveals that they are in good agreement. In addition, a routine to study functionally graded plane models in a commercial finite element code is used to verify the performance of the proposed model. In the present work, displacements for different values of the power law exponent and surface temperatures are presented. Furthermore, the normal stress variation along the thickness is shown for several power law exponents of functionally graded beams subjected to thermal and mechanical loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]