Functionally graded materials in transport vehicles – overview, fabrication, application, modelling

This paper deals with functionally graded materials (FGM) as modern materials in transport vehicles. Basic methods of FGM production and areas of their application are presented, as well as an example of modelling an FGM plate. Bending of freely supported square FGM plates under the influence of sinusoidal transverse load was analyzed. The plates are made of metal (aluminium) and ceramic (alumina) in which material characteristics change as a function along the thickness of the plate. The static analysis was done by applying finite elements methods in the FEMAP software package for different mesh sizes. The results were compared with those obtained in the MATLAB software package using the classical plate theory, quasi 3D theory as well as high order shear deformation theories. The previously mentioned comparative results were analysed and certain observations and appropriate conclusions were made.