Investigation of Functionally Graded and Viscoelastic Layers Effects on the Dynamic Behavior of Functionally Graded Electro-Rheological Sandwich Beams

摘要

Vibration characteristics of functionally graded electro-rheological (FGER) sandwich beams are investigated. While a vast majority of studies have been reported about functionally graded material (FGM) or electrorheological fluids (ERF) composite beams, few, if any, works are conducted about FGER models. In order to validate the present finite element formulation of the FGER beam model, the results of the developed finite element (FE) model are compared with the results of an experimental test on a fabricated ERF composite beam. The effects of FGM volume fraction index, electric field, and thickness of the viscoelastic core are studied on the natural frequencies and modal loss factors of the FGER beam.