Thermo-elastic analysis of a functionally graded spherical shell with piezoelectric layers by differential quadrature method

Thermo-elastic analysis of a functionally graded spherical shell with piezoelectric layers under the effect of thermo-electro-mechanical loading is carried out. Material properties of the shell are assumed to be graded in the radial direction according to a power law function, while the Poisson’s ratio is assumed to be constant. Governing differential equations are developed in terms of components of the displacement field, electric potential and temperature of each layer of the shell. These equations are then discretized using the polynomial differential quadrature method and numerical results of stress, displacement, temperature and electric fields are obtained. Convergence of the present method is studied and the results obtained are verified with results reported in the literature. Effects of the grading index of material properties, temperature difference and thickness of piezoelectric layers on stress, displacement and temperature fields are presented.