Thermal buckling analysis of moderately thick functionally graded annular sector plates

In this article, thermal buckling analysis of moderately thick functionally graded annular sector plate is studied. The equilibrium and stability equations are derived using first order shear deformation plate theory. These equations are five highly coupled partial differential equations. By using an analytical method, the coupled stability equations are replaced by four decoupled equations. Solving the decoupled equations and satisfying the boundary conditions, the critical buckling temperature is found analytically. To this end, it is assumed that the annular sector plate is simply supported in radial edges and it has arbitrary boundary conditions along the circular edges. Thermal buckling of functionally graded annular sector plate for two types of thermal loading, uniform temperature rise and gradient through the thickness, are investigated. Finally, the effects of boundary conditions, power law index, plate thickness, annularity and sector angle on the critical buckling temperature of functionally graded annular sector plates are discussed in details.