Buckling Analysis of FGM Timoshenko Beam with Variable Thickness under Concentrated and Distributed Axial loads Using DQM

In this article, mechanical buckling analysis of tapered beams having constant width and variable thickness, made of two-dimensional functionally graded materials is studied. The beam is assumed to be made of metal and ceramic, where their volume fractions vary in both longitudinal and thickness directions based on the power law. The beam is generally subjected to combined concentrated and distributed axial loads. The set of governing equations are derived using the Principle of Minimum total Potential Energy (PMPE), and are solved numerically using Differential Quadrature Method (DQM) for clamped-free boundary conditions. Convergence and accuracy of the presented solution are confirmed for both cases of concentrated and distributed axial loads. The effects of different parameters on the critical buckling load of the beam for both load cases are studied including geometrical parameters, gradation indices in longitudinal and thickness directions, and variation of thickness. Also buckling analysis of the beam under a combination of concentrated load and distributed axial loads of linear, quadratic and exponential types are investigated. Numerical results show that the highest values of the critical buckling load belong to the linear distributed load, and the lowest value is owned by exponential load.