Free Vibration Behavior of Exponential Functionally Graded Beams with Varying Cross-section

Abstract

This paper presents a theoretical investigation in free vibration of a functionally graded beam (FGB) which has a variable cross-section. It is assumed that material properties vary along the beam thickness only according to exponential distributions (it is simply called E-FGB). The governing equation is reduced to an ordinary differential equation in spatial coordinate for a family of cross-section geometries with exponentially varying width. Analytical solutions of the natural frequencies are obtained for E-FG beams with clamped-free, hinged-hinged, and clamped-clamped end supports. Results show that the non-uniformity in the cross-section and the inhomogeneity in material properties influence the natural frequencies. It is also shown that, all other parameters remaining the same, the natural frequencies of E-FG beams are always proportional to those of homogeneous isotropic beams. Therefore, one can predict the behaviour of E-FG beams knowing that of similar homogeneous beams.