Abstract

Axially functionally graded (AFG) beam is a special kind of nonhomogeneous functionally gradient material structure, whose material properties vary continuously along the axial direction of the beam by a given distribution form. There are several numerical methods that have been used to analyze the vibration characteristics of AFG beams, but it is difficult to obtain precise solutions for AFG beams because of the variable coefficients of the governing equation. In this topic, the free vibration of AFG beam using analytical method based on the perturbation theory and Meijer G-Function are studied, respectively. First, a detailed review of the existing literatures is summarized. Then, based on the governing equation of the AFG Euler-Bernoulli beam, the detailed analytic equations are derived on basis of the perturbation theory and Meijer G-function, where the nature frequencies are demonstrated. Subsequently, the numerical results are calculated and compared, meanwhile, the analytical results are also confirmed by finite element method and the published references. The results show that the proposed two analytical methods are simple and efficient and can be used to conveniently analyze free vibration of AFG beam.

Keywords: axially functionally graded beams, free vibration, natural frequency, asymptotic perturbation method, Meijer G-function, finite segment model

## 1. Introduction

Functionally gradient materials (FGMs) make a composite material by varying the microstructure from one material to another material with a specific gradient. It can be designed for specific function and applications. If it is for thermal or corrosive resistance or malleability and toughness, both strengths of the material may be used to avoid corrosion, fatigue, fracture, and stress corrosion cracking. FGMs are usually made into several structures, such as beams [1–4], plates [5–8], and shells [9–12]. In this area, the variation of material properties in functionally graded beams may be oriented in transverse (thickness) direction or/and longitudinal/axial (length) direction.

For functionally graded beams with thickness-wise gradient variation, there have been many studies devoted to this topic. Lee et al. [13] establish an accurate transfer matrix method to analyze the free vibration characteristics of FGM beams whose Young's modulus and density vary continuously with the height of the beam section through power law distribution. Su et al. [14] developed the dynamic stiffness method to investigate the free vibration behavior of FGM beams. Jing et al. [15] introduced a new approach by combining the cell-centered finite volume method and Timoshenko beam theory to analyze static and free vibration of FGM beams. Ait Atmane et al. [16] investigated the free vibration of a nonuniform FGM beams with exponentially varying width and material properties. Sina et al. [17] studied the free vibration of FGM beams by analytical method based on the traditional first-order shear deformation theory. Sharma [18] investigated the computational characteristics of harmonic differential quadrature method for free vibration of functionally graded piezoelectric material beam, which the material properties are assumed to have a power law or sigmoid law variation across the depth. Li et al. [19] proposed a high-order shear theory for free vibration of FGM beams with continuously varying material properties under different boundary conditions. Celebi et al. [20] employed the complementary function method to investigate the free vibration analysis of simply supported FGM beams, which the material properties change arbitrarily in the thickness direction. Chen et al. [21] studied the nonlinear free vibration behavior of shear deformable sandwich porous FGM beam based on the von kármán type geometric nonlinearity and Ritz method. Nazemnezhad and Hosseini-Hashemi [22] examined the nonlinear free vibration of FGM nanobeams with immovable ends using the multiple scale method.

Timoshenko beams with nonuniform cross section by introducing an auxiliary function. Huang and Rong [46] introduced a simple approach to deal with the free vibration of nonuniform AFG Euler-Bernoulli beams based on the polynomial expansion and integral technique. Hein and Feklistova [47] solved the vibration problems of AFG beams with various boundary conditions and varying cross sections via the Haar wavelet series. Xie et al. [48] presented a spectral collocation approach based on integrated polynomials combined with the domain decomposition technique for free vibration analyses of beams with axially variable cross sections, moduli of elasticity, and mass densities. Kukla and Rychlewska [49] proposed a new approach to study the free vibration analysis of an AFG beam; the approach relies on replacing functions characterizing functionally graded beams with piecewise exponential functions. Zhao et al. [50] introduced a new approach based on Chebyshev polynomial theory to investigate the free vibration of AFG Euler-Bernoulli and Timoshenko beams with nonuniform cross sections. Fang and Zhou [51, 52] researched the modal analysis of rotating AFG-tapered Euler-Bernoulli and Timoshenko beams with various boundary conditions employing the Chebyshev-Ritz method. Li et al. [53, 54] obtained the exact solutions for the free vibration of FGM beams with material profiles and cross-sectional parameters varying exponentially in the axial direction, where assumptions of Euler-Bernoulli and Timoshenko beam theories have been applied, respectively. Sarkar and Ganguli [55] studied the free vibration of AFG Timoshenko beams with different

Free Vibration of Axially Functionally Graded Beam DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.85835

boundary conditions and uniform cross sections. Akgöz and Civalek [56]

novel method to simplify the governing equations for the free vibration of Timoshenko beams with both geometrical nonuniformity and material

silicon carbide powders.

3

examined the free vibrations of AFG-tapered Euler-Bernoulli microbeams based on Bernoulli-Euler beam and modified couple stress theory. Yuan et al. [57] proposed a

inhomogeneity along the beam axis, and a series of exact analytical solutions are derived from the reduced equations for the first time. Yilmaz and Evran [58] investigated the free vibration of axially layered FGM short beams using experimental and FEM simulation, which the beams are manufactured by using the powder metallurgy technique using different weight fractions of aluminum and

Till now, there also are plenty of literatures devoted to the free vibration for nonuniform beams. Boiangiu et al. [59] obtained the exact solutions for free bending vibrations of straight beams with variable cross section using Bessel's functions and proposed a transfer matrix method to determine the natural frequencies of a complex structure of conical and cylindrical beams. Garijo [60] analyzed the free vibration of Euler-Bernoulli beams of variable cross section employing a collocation technique based on Bernstein polynomials. Arndt et al. [61] presented an adaptive generalized FEM to determine the natural frequencies of nonuniform Euler-Bernoulli beams. The spline-method of degree 5 defect 1 is proposed by Zhernakov et al. [62] to determine the natural frequencies of beam with variable cross section. Wang [63] studied the vibration of a cantilever beam with constant thickness and linearly tapered sides by means of a novel accurate, efficient initial value numerical method. Silva and Daqaq [64] solved the linear eigenvalue problem exactly of a slender cantilever beam of constant thickness and linearly varying width using the Meijer G-function approach. Rajasekaran and Khaniki [65] applied the FEM to research the vibration behavior of nonuniform small-scale beams in the framework of nonlocal strain gradient theory. Çalım [66] investigated the dynamic behavior of nonuniform composite beams employing an efficient method of analysis in the Laplace domain. Yang et al. [67] applied the power series method to investigate the natural frequencies and the corresponding complex mode functions of a rotating tapered cantilever Timoshenko beam. Clementi [68] analytically determined the

As the FGMs are good for severe conditions, thermal-mechanical effect on FGM structures has attracted broad attention. In this field, Farzad Ebrahimi and Erfan Salari obtained outstanding achievements. Considering the thermal-mechanical effect and size-dependent thermo-electric effect, the buckling and vibration behavior of FGM nanobeams are studied [23–26]. Considering the concept of neutral axis, they [27] studied the free buckling and vibration of FGM nanobeams using semi-analytical differential transformation method. To discuss the effect of the shear stress, Reddy's higher-order shear deformation beam theory is introduced to study the vibration of the FGM structures [28–30]. Ebrahimi et al. [31–33] also studied vibration characteristics of FGM beams with porosities. Based on nonlocal elasticity theory, the nonlocal temperature-dependent vibration of FGM nanobeams were studied in thermal environment [34–36].

Another significant class of functionally graded beams is those with lengthwise varying material properties. It is difficult to obtain precise solutions for axially functionally graded (AFG) beams because of the variable coefficients of the governing equation. To solve this problem, a great deal of methods has been used to analyze the vibration characteristics of AFG beams. By assuming that the material constituents vary throughout the longitudinal directions according to a simple power law, Alshorbagy et al. [37] developed a two-node, six-degree-of-freedom finite element method (FEM) in conjunction with Euler-Bernoulli beam theory to detect the free vibration characteristics of a functionally graded beam. Shahba et al. [38, 39] used the FEM to study the free vibration of an AFG-tapered beam based on Euler-Bernoulli and Timoshenko beam theory. Shahba and Rajasekaran [40] studied the free vibration analysis of AFG-tapered Euler-Bernoulli beams employing the differential transform element method. Liu et al. [41] applied the spline finite point method to investigate the same problems. Rajasekaran [42] researched the free bending vibration of rotating AFG-tapered Euler-Bernoulli beams with different boundary conditions using the differential transformation method and differential quadrature element method. Rajasekaran and Tochaei [43] carried out the free vibration analysis of AFG Timoshenko beams using the same method. Huang and Li [44] studied the free vibration of variable cross-sectional AFG beams. The differential equation with variable coefficients is combined with the boundary conditions and transformed into Fredholm integral equation. By solving Fredholm integral equation, the natural frequencies of AFG beams can be obtained. Huang et al. [45] proposed a new approach for investigating the vibration behaviors of AFG

## Free Vibration of Axially Functionally Graded Beam DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.85835

introduced a new approach by combining the cell-centered finite volume method and Timoshenko beam theory to analyze static and free vibration of FGM beams. Ait Atmane et al. [16] investigated the free vibration of a nonuniform FGM beams with exponentially varying width and material properties. Sina et al. [17] studied the free vibration of FGM beams by analytical method based on the traditional first-order shear deformation theory. Sharma [18] investigated the computational characteristics of harmonic differential quadrature method for free vibration of functionally graded piezoelectric material beam, which the material properties are assumed to have a power law or sigmoid law variation across the depth. Li et al. [19] proposed a high-order shear theory for free vibration of FGM beams with continuously varying material properties under different boundary conditions. Celebi et al. [20] employed the complementary function method to investigate the free vibration analysis of simply supported FGM beams, which the material properties change arbitrarily in the thickness direction. Chen et al. [21] studied the nonlinear free vibration behavior of shear deformable sandwich porous FGM beam based on the von kármán type geometric nonlinearity and Ritz method. Nazemnezhad and Hosseini-Hashemi [22] examined the nonlinear free vibration of FGM nanobeams

As the FGMs are good for severe conditions, thermal-mechanical effect on FGM structures has attracted broad attention. In this field, Farzad Ebrahimi and Erfan Salari obtained outstanding achievements. Considering the thermal-mechanical effect and size-dependent thermo-electric effect, the buckling and vibration behavior of FGM nanobeams are studied [23–26]. Considering the concept of neutral axis, they [27] studied the free buckling and vibration of FGM nanobeams using semi-analytical differential transformation method. To discuss the effect of the shear stress, Reddy's higher-order shear deformation beam theory is introduced to study the vibration of the FGM structures [28–30]. Ebrahimi et al. [31–33] also studied vibration characteristics of FGM beams with porosities. Based on nonlocal elasticity theory, the nonlocal temperature-dependent vibration of FGM nanobeams

Another significant class of functionally graded beams is those with lengthwise varying material properties. It is difficult to obtain precise solutions for axially functionally graded (AFG) beams because of the variable coefficients of the

governing equation. To solve this problem, a great deal of methods has been used to analyze the vibration characteristics of AFG beams. By assuming that the material constituents vary throughout the longitudinal directions according to a simple power law, Alshorbagy et al. [37] developed a two-node, six-degree-of-freedom finite element method (FEM) in conjunction with Euler-Bernoulli beam theory to detect the free vibration characteristics of a functionally graded beam. Shahba et al. [38, 39] used the FEM to study the free vibration of an AFG-tapered beam based on Euler-Bernoulli and Timoshenko beam theory. Shahba and Rajasekaran [40] studied the free vibration analysis of AFG-tapered Euler-Bernoulli beams employing the differential transform element method. Liu et al. [41] applied the spline finite point method to investigate the same problems. Rajasekaran [42] researched the free bending vibration of rotating AFG-tapered Euler-Bernoulli beams with different boundary conditions using the differential transformation method and differential quadrature element method. Rajasekaran and Tochaei [43] carried out the free vibration analysis of AFG Timoshenko beams using the same method. Huang and Li [44] studied the free vibration of variable cross-sectional AFG beams. The differential equation with variable coefficients is combined with the boundary conditions and transformed into Fredholm integral equation. By solving Fredholm integral equation, the natural frequencies of AFG beams can be obtained. Huang et al. [45]

proposed a new approach for investigating the vibration behaviors of AFG

with immovable ends using the multiple scale method.

Mechanics of Functionally Graded Materials and Structures

were studied in thermal environment [34–36].

2

Timoshenko beams with nonuniform cross section by introducing an auxiliary function. Huang and Rong [46] introduced a simple approach to deal with the free vibration of nonuniform AFG Euler-Bernoulli beams based on the polynomial expansion and integral technique. Hein and Feklistova [47] solved the vibration problems of AFG beams with various boundary conditions and varying cross sections via the Haar wavelet series. Xie et al. [48] presented a spectral collocation approach based on integrated polynomials combined with the domain decomposition technique for free vibration analyses of beams with axially variable cross sections, moduli of elasticity, and mass densities. Kukla and Rychlewska [49] proposed a new approach to study the free vibration analysis of an AFG beam; the approach relies on replacing functions characterizing functionally graded beams with piecewise exponential functions. Zhao et al. [50] introduced a new approach based on Chebyshev polynomial theory to investigate the free vibration of AFG Euler-Bernoulli and Timoshenko beams with nonuniform cross sections. Fang and Zhou [51, 52] researched the modal analysis of rotating AFG-tapered Euler-Bernoulli and Timoshenko beams with various boundary conditions employing the Chebyshev-Ritz method. Li et al. [53, 54] obtained the exact solutions for the free vibration of FGM beams with material profiles and cross-sectional parameters varying exponentially in the axial direction, where assumptions of Euler-Bernoulli and Timoshenko beam theories have been applied, respectively. Sarkar and Ganguli [55] studied the free vibration of AFG Timoshenko beams with different boundary conditions and uniform cross sections. Akgöz and Civalek [56] examined the free vibrations of AFG-tapered Euler-Bernoulli microbeams based on Bernoulli-Euler beam and modified couple stress theory. Yuan et al. [57] proposed a novel method to simplify the governing equations for the free vibration of Timoshenko beams with both geometrical nonuniformity and material inhomogeneity along the beam axis, and a series of exact analytical solutions are derived from the reduced equations for the first time. Yilmaz and Evran [58] investigated the free vibration of axially layered FGM short beams using experimental and FEM simulation, which the beams are manufactured by using the powder metallurgy technique using different weight fractions of aluminum and silicon carbide powders.

Till now, there also are plenty of literatures devoted to the free vibration for nonuniform beams. Boiangiu et al. [59] obtained the exact solutions for free bending vibrations of straight beams with variable cross section using Bessel's functions and proposed a transfer matrix method to determine the natural frequencies of a complex structure of conical and cylindrical beams. Garijo [60] analyzed the free vibration of Euler-Bernoulli beams of variable cross section employing a collocation technique based on Bernstein polynomials. Arndt et al. [61] presented an adaptive generalized FEM to determine the natural frequencies of nonuniform Euler-Bernoulli beams. The spline-method of degree 5 defect 1 is proposed by Zhernakov et al. [62] to determine the natural frequencies of beam with variable cross section. Wang [63] studied the vibration of a cantilever beam with constant thickness and linearly tapered sides by means of a novel accurate, efficient initial value numerical method. Silva and Daqaq [64] solved the linear eigenvalue problem exactly of a slender cantilever beam of constant thickness and linearly varying width using the Meijer G-function approach. Rajasekaran and Khaniki [65] applied the FEM to research the vibration behavior of nonuniform small-scale beams in the framework of nonlocal strain gradient theory. Çalım [66] investigated the dynamic behavior of nonuniform composite beams employing an efficient method of analysis in the Laplace domain. Yang et al. [67] applied the power series method to investigate the natural frequencies and the corresponding complex mode functions of a rotating tapered cantilever Timoshenko beam. Clementi [68] analytically determined the

frequency response curves of a nonuniform beam undergoing nonlinear oscillations by the multiple time scale method. Wang [69] proposed the differential quadrature element method for the natural frequencies of multiple-stepped beams with an aligned neutral axis. Abdelghany [70] utilized the differential transformation method to examine the free vibration of nonuniform circular beam.

The asymptotic development method, which is a kind of perturbation analysis method, is always used to solve nonlinear vibration equations. For example, Chen et al. [71, 72] studied the nonlinear dynamic behavior of axially accelerated viscoelastic beams and strings based on the asymptotic perturbation method. Ding et al. [73, 74] studied the influence of natural frequency of transverse vibration of axially moving viscoelastic beams and the steady-state periodic response of forced vibration of dynamic viscoelastic beams based on the multi-scale method. Chen [75] used the asymptotic perturbation method to analyze the finite deformation of prestressing hyperelastic compression plates. Hao et al. [76] employed the asymptotic perturbation method to obtain the nonlinear dynamic responses of a cantilever FGM rectangular plate subjected to the transversal excitation in thermal environment. Andrianov and Danishevs'kyy [77] proposed an asymptotic method for solving periodic solutions of nonlinear vibration problems of continuous structures. Based on the asymptotic expansion method of Poincaré-Lindstedt version [78], the longitudinal vibration of a bar and the transverse vibration of a beam under the action of a nonlinear restoring force are studied. The asymptotic development method is applied to obtain an approximate analytical expression of the natural frequencies of nonuniform cables and beams [79, 80]. Cao et al. [81, 82] applied the asymptotic development method to analyze the free vibration of nonuniform axially functionally graded (AFG) beams. Tarnopolskaya et al. [83] gave the first comprehensive study of the mode transition phenomenon in vibration of beams with arbitrarily varying curvature and cross section on the basis of asymptotic analysis.

length of beam, which is determined by volume mass density ρð Þ x and variable

Because of the particularity of AFG beam, bending stiffness E xð ÞI xð Þ and unit mass ρð Þ x A xð Þ will change with the axis coordinates, which makes the original constant coefficient differential equation become variable coefficient differential equation and to some extent increases the difficulty of solving. In

represent flexural stiffness and mass per unit length, respectively, and vary with the axial coordinates. Here, we introduce a dimensionless space variable ξ ¼ x=L

ffiffiffiffiffiffi EI<sup>0</sup> ρA<sup>0</sup> q

are the nondimensional varying parts of the flexural stiffness and of the mass per

In this section, the APM is introduced to obtain a simple proximate formula for

where Wð Þξ is the amplitude of vibration and ω is the circular frequency of vibration. We obtain the following equation by substituting Eq. (4) with Eq. (2):

wð Þ ξ; τ

and <sup>f</sup> <sup>2</sup>ð Þ¼ <sup>ξ</sup> ρ ξð ÞAð Þ<sup>ξ</sup>

ρA<sup>0</sup>

wð Þ¼ ξ; τ Wð Þξ sin ð Þ ωτ (4)

; Eq. (1) can be rewritten in the

<sup>∂</sup>τ<sup>2</sup> <sup>¼</sup> <sup>0</sup>, <sup>0</sup><sup>≤</sup> <sup>ξ</sup>≤1 (2)

(3)

L2

<sup>þ</sup> <sup>1</sup> <sup>þ</sup> <sup>f</sup> <sup>2</sup>ð Þ<sup>ξ</sup> � � <sup>∂</sup><sup>2</sup>

order to facilitate calculation, we simplify the calculation process by introducing dimensionless parameters. Reference flexural stiffness EI<sup>0</sup> and reference mass ρA<sup>0</sup> are introduced, and the above two dimensionless parameters are invariant. Suppose E xð ÞI xð Þ¼ EI<sup>0</sup> þ E xð ÞI xð Þ and ρð Þ x A xð Þ¼ ρA<sup>0</sup> þ ρð Þ x A xð Þ,

where EI<sup>0</sup> and ρA<sup>0</sup> are the invariant parts and E xð ÞI xð Þ and ρð Þ x A xð Þ

cross-sectional area A xð Þ.

Figure 1.

dimensionless form:

<sup>∂</sup>ξ<sup>2</sup> <sup>1</sup> <sup>þ</sup> <sup>f</sup> <sup>1</sup>ð Þ<sup>ξ</sup> � � <sup>∂</sup><sup>2</sup>

unit length, respectively.

3.1 Equation deriving

5

∂2

where

and a dimensionless time variable <sup>τ</sup> <sup>¼</sup> <sup>t</sup>

The geometry and coordinate system of an AFG beam.

Free Vibration of Axially Functionally Graded Beam DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.85835

� �

3. Asymptotic perturbation method

wð Þ ξ; τ ∂ξ<sup>2</sup>

<sup>f</sup> <sup>1</sup>ð Þ¼ <sup>ξ</sup> <sup>E</sup>ð Þ<sup>ξ</sup> <sup>I</sup>ð Þ<sup>ξ</sup> EI<sup>0</sup>

the nature frequency of the AFG beam. Firstly, we assume that

The present topic focus on the free vibration of AFG beams with uniform or nonuniform cross sections using analytical method: the asymptotic perturbation method (APM) and Meijer G-function. First, the governing differential equation for free vibration of nonuniform AFG beam is summarized and rewritten in a form of a dimensionless equation based on Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. Second, the analytic equations are then derived in detail in Sections 3 and 4, respectively, where the nature frequencies are obtained and compared with the results of the finite element method and the published references. Finally, the conclusions are presented.
