Thermoelastic and creep analysis of a functionally graded rotating cylindrical vessel with internal heat generation

In this paper we propose exact thermoelastic stress, and iterative creep solutions for a non-uniformly heat generating and rotating cylindrical vessel made of functionally graded thermal and mechanical properties. Equations of equilibrium, compatibility, stress-strain, and strain-displacement relations are solved to obtain closed-form initial stress and strain solutions. It is found that material gradient indices have significant influences on thermoelastic stress profiles. For creep analysis, Norton’s model is incorporated into rate forms of the above-mentioned equations to obtain time-dependent stress and strain results using an iterative method. Validity of our solutions are at first verified using finite element analysis, and numerical results found in the recent literature are improved. Investigation of effects of material gradients reveals that radial variation of density and creep coefficient have significant effects on strains histories, while Young’s modulus and thermal property distributions only influence stress redistribution at an early stage of creep deformation.