Nonlinear free vibration analysis of multi-directional functionally graded porous sandwich plates

Multi-directional functionally graded materials (MFGMs) have attracted significant research attention due to their advantages over one-directional FGMs. In MFGM structures, material properties can be tailored to grade in the required direction, overcoming practical problems like excessive temperature gradients or extreme deflections. This paper aims to investigate the nonlinear free vibration of MFG porous sandwich plates to improve their application in sandwich structures. The two outer layers of the plates are composed of three-directional functionally graded material (3D-FGM), with a bi-directional functionally graded material (2D-FGM) core layer. Additionally, the porosity distribution within the material matrix is assumed to be either even or uneven across the plate thickness. A higher-order finite element model based on Shi's plate theory and the von Kármán assumption is developed. The nonlinear free vibration frequencies are determined through the maximum vibrational amplitude using an iterative algorithm with a displacement control strategy. The accuracy and effectiveness of the proposed model are demonstrated through a comparison with published data. The results show that the vibration response is significantly influenced by various parameters. Specifically, increasing the material gradient indexes in the thickness direction enhances the frequency ratio, while increasing the gradient indexes in the length and width directions reduces it. Higher porosity coefficients in the core layer decrease the frequency ratio, whereas higher pore coefficients in the outer layers increase it. The additional knowledge gained from this study can help with future analysis and design procedures related to the nonlinear responses of these complex structures. © 2024 Elsevier Ltd