Mechanical Analysis Of Multi-Directional Functionally Graded Cellular Plates

In this study, the concept of multi-directional functionally graded cellular material (FGCM) is introduced. FGCMs consist of two spatially-varying engineered phases: solid and void. Different parameters, such as relative density, cell topology, cell orientation, and cell elongation, can be tailored in multiple directions to optimize their mechanical performance. We implement a homogenization technique to evaluate the structural response of plates made by advanced cellular solids. The homogenized effective properties are used in a third-order shear deformation theory (TSDT) formulation. The governing differential equations are solved by a finite element method to predict the mechanical response of FGCM plates. The numerical results reveal that it is possible to increase the buckling load as much as 115% and decrease the maximum deflection about 60% by using an FGC structure.