Three-dimensional analysis of thick functionally graded piezoelectric plate using EFG method

In this paper, the three dimensional Element-Free Galerkin (EFG) method is used to investigate static behavior analysis of thick functionally graded piezoelectric plate. The electro-elastic properties of plate are considered to vary in the thickness direction by an exponential function. The shape functions of the variables are calculated using 3D moving least squares (MLS) approximation. The constrained Galerkin weak-form is used and the Lagrange multiplier method is employed to enforce the essential boundary condition. The effects of material composition, boundary conditions and geometric variables on the stress, electric potential, electric field and deformation are investigated. Several examples are presented for functionally graded piezoelectric plates under different loading conditions and the obtained results are compared with the available data in the literature.