Finite element analysis of thin-walled functionally graded open section beams exposed to thermal loading

Paper presents finite element analysis of thin-walled functionally graded (FG) open section beam type structures exposed to thermal loading. The analysis is performed in a load-deflection manner based on the framework of corotational formulation. The beam model is based on Euler-Bernoulli-Navier theory for bending and Vlasov theory for torsion. Material properties are assumed to be graded through the wall thickness of beam. Various types of FG walls are considered and numerical results are obtained for various types of boundary conditions: simply-supported, clamped-free and clamped-clamped to investigate effects of the power-law index and skin-core-skin thickness ratios on structural behavior at thermal loading.