In-Plane Free Vibration of Uniform Circular Arches Made of Axially Functionally Graded Materials

This study focused on the in-plane free vibration of uniform circular arches made of axially functionally graded (AFG) materials. Based on the dynamic equilibrium of an arch element, the governing equations for the free vibration of an AFG arch are derived in this study, where arbitrary functions for the Young's modulus and mass density are acceptable. For the purpose of numerical analysis, quadratic polynomials for the Young's modulus and mass density are considered. To calculate the natural frequencies and corresponding mode shapes, the governing equations are solved using the direct integral method enhanced by the trial eigenvalue method. For verification purposes, the predicted frequencies are compared to those obtained by the general purpose software ADINA. A parametric study of the end constraint, rotatory inertia, modular ratio, radius parameter, and subtended angle for the natural frequencies is conducted and the corresponding mode shapes are reported.