Publication

Abstract : This study presents a comprehensive investigation into the static bending characteristics of rectangular plates constructed from functionally graded materials resting on an elastic foundation. The research examines numerical factors that include central deflection, bending, and normal stresses, in functionally graded rectangular plates (FGRP) subjected to mixed edge constraints under various loading conditions. Classical plate theory is employed, and a computationally efficient mathematical expression for bending analysis is proposed, utilizing the energy principle. The Rayleigh-Ritz method with an algebraic function is applied to solve the governing equation, and the computation is performed using MATLAB. The study investigates the impact of aspect ratios, material property exponents, and the moduli of the Winkler and Pasternak foundations on the numerical factors of embedded FGRPs. The findings reveal that material property exponents and aspect ratios significantly affect numerical factors. The Pasternak foundation moduli demonstrate a more pronounced influence compared to the Winkler foundation moduli. This research provides valuable insights about the static analysis of FGRPs on Winkler-Pasternak elastic foundations, offering practical applications in the design and analysis of structures with similar configurations. Additionally, a salient aspect of this research is in the implementation of an artificial neural network (ANN) for the purpose of predicting the central deformation of FGRP while manipulating the input parameters. This approach is especially advantageous in engineering applications as it facilitates precise predictions for any set of input parameters without using complex computational work.