Simple Quasi-3D and 2D Integral Shear Deformation Theories for Buckling Investigation of Advanced Composite Plates

In this paper, both 2D and quasi-3D hyperbolic integral shear deformation theories are employed for buckling analysis of functionally graded (FG) plates. The simplicity of the developed theory is due to the reduced number of the unknowns used in the field of displacement. The proposed model takes into account the effect of both normal and transverse shear deformations and ensures the nullity of transverse shear stresses at the top and bottom surfaces of the studied structure without including any shear correction factors. Properties of the material are microscopically inhomogeneous and change continuously according to a power law model in the z direction. The Navier method is utilized to study the mechanical buckling response of a simply supported FG plate under both uniaxial and biaxial compressive loading. The numerical study is validated by comparing the obtained results with the literature data. The influence of thickness stretching, geometric parameters, material index, and different loading cases on the critical buckling load is examined.