Int. J. Vehicle Noise and Vibration, Vol. 4, No.

2, 2008 123

Vibro-acoustic analysis of functionally graded

circular discs under thermal environment

Boorle Rajesh Kumar, N. Ganesan*

and Raju Sethuraman
Machine Design Section, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Indian Institute of Technology Madras,
Chennai-600036, India
Fax: + 91 44 2350509
E-mail: rajesh_mechanical@smail.iitm.ac.in
E-mail: nganesan@iitm.ac.in
E-mail: sethu@iitm.ac.in
*Corresponding author

Abstract: A circular disc made up of Functionally Graded Material (FGM)

with several cases of FGM index are modelled and their vibration response to a
harmonic point load in a thermal environment with temperature dependant
material properties was computed by using the Finite Element Method (FEM).
A macro was developed by the corresponding author in ANSYS Parametric
Design Language for modelling FGM using the available physics in ANSYS.
The acoustic response of a FGM circular disc was computed by coupling the
vibration data from the FEM to the Boundary Element Method (BEM) using
LMS SYSNOISE.

Keywords: FGMs; functionally graded materials; FEM; finite element

method; BEM; boundary element method; critical buckling temperature;
ANSYS; LMS VIRTUAL LAB; parametric design language.

Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Rajesh Kumar, B.,

Ganesan, N. and Sethuraman, R. (2008) ‘Vibro-acoustic analysis of
functionally graded circular discs under thermal environment’, Int. J. Vehicle
Noise and Vibration, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp.123–149.

Biographical notes: Boorle Rajesh Kumar is currently a research scholar

in the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, doing research in the area of
vibro-acoustic analysis of composite and FGM structures under thermal
environment. He received Undergraduate Degree in Mechanical Engineering
from Nagarjuna University and yet to receive Post Graduate Degree from
Indian Institute of Technology at Madras.

N. Ganesan is currently Professor in the Indian Institute of Technology Madras.

His research is in the areas of vibro-acoustic analysis of composite and FGM
structures, under thermal environment and active vibration control using smart
materials. He is the author of more than 200 papers in the open literature.
He received his PhD in 1975 from the Indian Institute of Technology
at Madras.

Copyright © 2008 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

124 B. Rajesh Kumar et al.

Raju Sethuraman is currently Professor in the Indian Institute of Technology

Madras. His research is in the areas of fracture and fatigue analysis of
engineering structures. He received his PhD in 1990 from the Indian Institute of
Technology at Bombay.

1 Introduction

Circular discs are widely used in mechanical components like rotors, fly wheels, clutches,
brakes mounted on power transmission shafts, transducers in defence applications
and hydrophones in sensing applications. Currently, in designing components for
applications like aerospace, thermal barriers for accessories of steam boilers, nuclear
fusion reactors, turbine blades, fly wheels, light vehicles and automobiles where a high
temperature gradient during application is mandatory, ordinary metals like steel,
aluminium and nickel are incompatible, even though they have good compressive
strength; pure ceramic materials like zirconia, silicon nitride and aluminium oxide are
also incompatible and not reliable, due to their high heat resistant nature. Functionally
Graded Materials (FGMs) which are microscopically non-homogenous composites with
smooth variation of material properties in the spatial direction, obtained by tailoring
constituent materials like metal and ceramic with relative volume fractions can be
reliably used in such applications. Due to the continuous gradation of material properties
they perform well and the advantages of both the constituents can be fully exploited in a
single FGM. These FGM circular discs vibrate and radiate sound when subjected to
several types of loadings during the application of a high temperature gradient along the
thickness.
There is a substantial amount of literature available on buckling and modal analysis
of isotropic and FGM circular discs. Vogel and Skinner (1965) investigated the natural
frequencies of a uniform annular disc. Thompson (1971) computed self and mutual
radiation impedances of a uniformly vibrating annular or circular piston by integration of
the far-field directivity function. Wang and Thevendran (1993) used the Raleigh-Ritz
method, based on the thin plate theory. Vera et al. (1998) conducted studies on
transverse vibration of circular plates subjected to different boundary conditions. Lee and
Singh (1994) presented analytical formulations for annular disk sound radiation using
structural modes. Raveendra et al. (1998) and Vlahopoulos and Raveendra (1998) used
Indirect Boundary Element Method (I-BEM) for structural acoustics. Von Estorff and
Zaleski (2003) and Wu (2005) also used Boundary Element Method (BEM) for
prediction of structural acoustics. Najafizadeh and Heydari (2004) used higher order
shear deformation theory for thermal buckling analysis of FGM circular disc;
Qatu (2004) also conducted studies on vibrations of laminated shells and plates. Lee and
Singh (2005a, 2005b) proposed a polynomial approximation for modal acoustic power
radiation from a thin annular disc. Efraim and Eisenberger (2007) used exact element
method for vibration analysis of FGM and isotropic annular disc with variable thickness.
From the literature it is observed that studies on the vibro-acoustic behaviour of FGM
circular discs have not been attempted. This work concentrates on the vibration
and acoustic analysis of FGM circular discs with highly temperature dependent
material properties subjected to harmonic point load in a thermal environment i.e., by
considering the pre-stress effects and thermal loading which are expected from the fluid
 Vibro-acoustic analysis of FGM discs under thermal environment 125

domain surrounding the vibrating structure. In general, the vibration response of the
structure is computed by the Finite Element Method (FEM) and acoustic response is
computed by the BEM; while using FEM for acoustic analysis, the infinite domain
has to be meshed, which demands high computation time. Generally, for computing
vibro-acoustic response FEM and BEM are coupled to take advantage of both the
methods. In the present work, a commercial CAE tool, ANSYS, is used to compute
vibration response and LMS SYSNOISE is used to compute sound radiation from the
vibrating FGM circular disc.

2 Physical model of functionally graded materials

Functionally graded materials are microscopically non-homogenous composites with

smooth variation of material properties in the spatial direction, obtained by tailoring
constituent materials like metal and ceramic with relative volume fractions, based on a
simple power law. The advantages of both the materials, like more compressive strength
for thermal stresses and crack resistance in the case of metals due to their ductile nature
and high heat resistance in the case of ceramics, can be fully exploited in single FGM.
Problems like failure at interface of mismatch in material properties like inter laminar
stresses in composites and poor affinity of cohesive nature between laminae leading to
improper strength prediction can be avoided in the case of FGM and assured for
applications where continuous gradation of material properties is mandatory.
In the present study for FGM, a smooth and continuous variation of ceramic phase to
metal phase is considered along the thickness and volume fraction of constituents are
modelled based on the power law. The volume fraction of metal (Vm) is given as
n
§ 2z + h ·
Vm = ¨ ¸ (1)
© 2h ¹
where z represents the thickness coordinate at any point measured from the mid-section
of the circular disc i.e., z = 0 at mid section, z = –h/2 at bottom surface and z = h/2 at top
surface. For different values of the FGM index (n) the volume fraction of the metal is
given in Figure 1 and the sum of volume fractions of constituents both ceramic (Vc) and
metal (Vm) at any point is unity, from equation (2).
Vm + Vc = 1. (2)

From the law of mixtures the effective material properties at a particular position are
given as
(MP)eff = (MP) m Vm + (MP) c Vc . (3)

MP is the general notation used for effective material property at any position. Making
use of above equations, effective mechanical properties, such as Young’s modulus,
Poisson’s ratio, and density and thermal properties such as thermal conductivity, and the
coefficient of thermal expansion are given as follows.
n
§ 2z + h ·
Eeff = ( Em − Ec ) ¨ ¸ + Ec (3.1)
© 2h ¹
126 B. Rajesh Kumar et al.

n
§ 2z + h ·
veff = (vm − vc ) ¨ ¸ + vc (3.2)
© 2h ¹
n
§ 2z + h ·
ρeff = ( ρ m − ρc ) ¨ ¸ + ρc (3.3)
© 2h ¹
n
§ 2z + h ·
keff = (km − kc ) ¨ ¸ + kc (3.4)
© 2h ¹
n
§ 2z + h ·
α eff = (α m − α c ) ¨ ¸ + αc . (3.5)
© 2h ¹

Figure 1 Volume fraction for different FGM indices

2.1 Temperature dependant material properties for FGM

FGMs are used mainly in high temperature environments. At such elevated temperatures
the ceramic and the metal possess different material properties, which have to be to be
seriously taken into account. Based on experiments reported by Touloukian (1967)
temperature dependent material properties for different materials are to be taken into
account and they are expressed by a polynomial cubic fit given in equation (4) with
material properties as coefficients P-1 , P1 , P2 and P3 for Tˆ -1 , Tˆ 1 , Tˆ 2 and Tˆ 3 in Kelvins.
P0 is the material property at room temperature.

P = P0 ( P−1Tˆ −1 + 1 + PTˆ ˆ2 ˆ3
1 + P2T + P3T ). (4)

Thus, the effective temperature dependent material property of the FGM structure
depends on both the constituents’ temperature dependent material properties and can be
truly represented as a function of spatial and temperature, by equation (5).
 Vibro-acoustic analysis of FGM discs under thermal environment 127

MPeff (Tˆ , z ) = MPm (Tˆ )Vm ( z ) + MPc (Tˆ )Vc ( z ). (5)

2.2 Layer wise concept for FGM

Gradation in thickness for FGM structures can be represented as several homogenised
sub-layers, as shown in Figure 2. Layered elements available in ANSYS like shell 131 for
thermal analysis and shell 181 for subsequent structural analysis can be used for finite
element analysis of FGM structures.

Figure 2 Layer wise concept for FGM: (a) layered metal ceramic FGM composite
and (b) uniform division of graded layer into homogenised sub-layers

3 Methodology used

In the present section the methodology of the approach is presented. The geometrical
characteristics of circular discs details the FE and BE meshes for both the vibration and
acoustic analysis cases. The procedure involved in the calculation of thermal buckling
and vibration analysis in a thermal environment for FGM circular discs, and details of the
APDL code developed by the author, and its implementation in ANSYS, are explained.

3.1 Dimensions of the circular disc used for vibro-acoustic analysis

The circular disc shown in Figure 3 used for vibro-acoustic analysis has outer radius
R = 0.5 m, inner radius (R0 = 0.25 m) and thickness h = 0.01 m. The disc is fixed at
both the inner and outer radii and subjected to harmonic loading with unit amplitude, at
different radial positions, given in Figure 4 (0.0, 0.30, 0.0), (0.0, 0.375, 0.0) and
(0.0, 0.45, 0.0) the field points are created exactly 0.5 m above the application of
harmonic point load (0.0, 0.30, 0.50), (0.0, 0.375, 0.50) and (0.0, 0.45, 0.50) to measure
the pressure level at that particular location and acceleration response is measured at the
point of application of the harmonic load.
128 B. Rajesh Kumar et al.

Figure 3 Dimensions of circular disc

Figure 4 Circular disc subjected to harmonic loading at different radial positions and with field
points in space exactly 0.5 m above the application of harmonic point load

3.2 Finite Element Method for vibration analysis of the FGM circular disc
The mesh used in ANSYS for vibration analysis of all cases of FGM disc is shown in
Figure 5 and details of shell elements, procedure used for switching physics are given in
subsequent sections.

Figure 5 Mesh used for vibration analysis in ANSYS (see online version for colours)

3.2.1 Thermal analysis

Shell 131 is the assigned element type for conducting thermal analysis of the circular disc
and a clear description of the shell element is given in Figure 6(a). It is a layered element;
each layer has temperature as a degree of freedom, and a maximum of 30 layers can be
modelled for linear distribution of temperature, and 15 layers can be modelled for
 Vibro-acoustic analysis of FGM discs under thermal environment 129

quadratic distribution of temperature along the thickness. In the current analysis, the
option for linear distribution of temperature throughout the thickness is used with
temperature dependent thermal conductivity for all layers.

Figure 6 Description of shell elements used in ANSYS for modelling FGM: (a) thermal shell
element shell 131 and (b) structural shell element shell

3.2.2 Structural analysis

Shell 181 with a layered option is the assigned element type and a clear description of the
shell element is given in Figure 6(b). In the applications where the thin plate theory is not
valid for such cases, elements like shell 181, shell 91, shell 93, and shell 99 should be
used. These shell elements are based on the first order shear deformation theory (usually
referred to as the Mindlin-Reissner plate theory); they have six degrees of freedom- three
translational and three rotational about x, y and z directions- (i.e., Ux, Uy, Uz, Rotx, Roty
and Rotz) per node and can also be used for modelling layered structures. Structural
damping can also be assigned; for layered composite structures damping is more as
compared to structures made up of isotropic material. Generally, for FGM structures,
damping is more as compared to structures made up of isotropic material. In the current
vibro-acoustic analysis, for all cases of FGM circular discs it is assumed to be 1%.

3.2.3 Thermo-structural analysis

For conducting thermal and structural analysis of FGM structures as shown in Figure 7,
the author has written a macro in ANSYS which uses an iterative way of solving until the
converged temperature distribution in thermal analysis and the critical buckling
temperature in structural analysis are calculated.
In the current analysis, shell 131, with a specific number of layers- like 20 layers
along the thickness direction- which gave good convergence is used, with boundary
conditions of high temperature at the ceramic rich side and room temperature at the metal
rich side.
Temperature is assumed to be constant in the plane of a particular layer, variation of
temperature distribution is assumed only along thickness direction and an iterative static
thermal analysis is conducted with temperature dependent thermal conductivity for all
layers, until convergence of temperature distribution along the thickness direction.
130 B. Rajesh Kumar et al.

After convergence of temperature distribution, switching physics from thermal to

structural is carried out, temperature distribution at each layer and along the thickness are
passed as thermal load vectors to structural analysis on an equivalent shell element,
like shell 181, which has a layered option. The temperature dependent material properties
for each layer are calculated in ANSYS, based on cubic fit proposed in the literature
for FGMs, using temperature distribution obtained from thermal analysis. To induce the
initial stress stiffening effect due to thermal load, static analysis with pre-stress effect on
is conducted.

Figure 7 Temperature distribution in FGM disc

3.3 Prediction of thermal loading by conducting thermal buckling analysis

In general instability of structures under thermal environment is considered to be a
serious effect because thermal load required for thermal buckling is much less when
compared to mechanical load required for mechanical buckling. The mechanical forces
induced on structures during application are much less as compared to critical mechanical
buckling load. In ANSYS buckling analysis is conducted by two ways linear and
non linear eigen-value buckling.
For current study linear eigen-value buckling analysis is conducted to find bifurcation
point where structures are supposed to buckle. After initial stress stiffening effect is
induced on the structure, buckling analysis is carried out.
([ K ] + λi [ S ]){ψ i } = {0} (6)

[ K ] is the stiffness matrix, [ S ] is the stress stiffening and ψ i is the eigen vector.
The obtained critical buckling temperature is applied as thermal boundary condition
on ceramic rich side in thermal analysis at next iteration. The procedure of carrying the
calculated critical buckling temperature to next iteration of thermal analysis is done
until converging critical buckling temperature is obtained. The schematic diagram of the
procedure used for developing APDL code in ANSYS for solving critical buckling
temperature for FGM, given in Figure 8.
In critical buckling temperature calculation, the case of uniform temperature
distribution along thickness is also considered and tabulated in Table 1, for the sake of
giving complete information on FGM. The critical buckling temperature calculated from
the uniform temperature distribution case is more than half of variable temperature
distribution case, because average stress level is more and also due to consideration of
temperature dependent material properties of FGM.
 Vibro-acoustic analysis of FGM discs under thermal environment 131

Figure 8 Flow chart for the procedure used in ANSYS for calculating critical buckling
temparature of FGM

Table 1 Critical buckling temperatures (°C) of FGM circular disc

SUS304-AL2O3 SUS304-ZRO2 SUS304-Si3N4

FGM index Uniform Variable Uniform Variable Uniform Variable
n=0 235 407 235 407 235 407
n=1 320 467 194 345 316 623
n=5 420 635 183 307 393 800
n = 10 457 696 178 284 420 815
n = 15 472 724 176 274 431 823
n = 1000 502 766 171 255 451 840

3.4 Prediction of vibration response in a thermal environment

After converging critical buckling temperature is obtained, the thermal loads to be
applied on the structure are decided as fractions of the thermal buckling load, like 0.0
(no thermal effect) 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 0.95 (near to critical thermal buckling load), and the
schematic diagram of the procedure involved in ANSYS for prediction of vibration
response is given in Figure 9.
132 B. Rajesh Kumar et al.

Figure 9 Flow chart for the procedure used in ANSYS calculating vibration response under
different thermal loadings using Tcr as parameter of a FGM disc

4 Boundary Element Method for acoustic analysis

The BEM involves creation of boundary element mesh along the surface of the structure
and field points in the interior and exterior domains. Computing frequency dependent
BEM influence matrices, specifying solvers like Direct BEM or the Indirect BEM.
It incorporates boundary conditions such as interior or exterior in the case of Direct
BEM, free edges where jump across surface is zero in the case of IBEM. Generally for
computing acoustic response, Indirect BEM is used because sound radiation is computed
on both sides of boundary element mesh i.e., interior and exterior domains of boundary.
The boundary element mesh is created along the surface of the structure by using a finite
element mesh used for vibration analysis but, in general, FE meshes are highly dense and
consist of interior nodes and elements. In such cases the, FE mesh is converted to a BE
mesh by coarsening and skinning the structural FE mesh using LMS VIRTUAL LAB
pre acoustics. But in the present case the skinning operation is not required because the
FE mesh does not have any interior nodes or elements, so directly the FE mesh file
employed for vibration analysis in ANSYS is employed for acoustic analysis in LMS
SYSNOISE and displacements from ANSYS are imported on BE mesh Figure 10(a)
without any interpolation by using .rst1 which consists of FE results like displacements,
stresses and strain. The boundary conditions of free edges are imposed for circular disc
at inner and outer periphery given in Figure 10(b). After importing displacements on BE
mesh primary variables like velocities and pressures are calculated for BE mesh and
secondary results at field points are processed.
 Vibro-acoustic analysis of FGM discs under thermal environment 133

Figure 10 Details of BE mesh and free edges specified on FGM circular disc used for acoustic
analysis in LMS SYSNOISE: (a) BE-Mesh used for acoustic analysis in LMS
SYSNOISE and (b) free edges specified on the inner and outer edges of circular disc
(see online version for colours)

5 Validation of current FGM APDL code

Lee and Singh conducted experimental and analytical studies to predict vibro-acoustic
response from the isotropic annular disc made up with steel. The current FGM macro
developed by author using APDL is condensed to the dimensions of existing literature
and used for validation. Acceleration and radiated sound pressure level from isotropic
circular disc due to harmonic point load at corresponding natural frequencies are
calculated and compared with Lee and Singh (2005a, 2005b) in Table 2.

Table 2 Comparison of natural frequencies, acceleration and radiated sound pressure level

Acceleration Sound pressure level

Natural frequencies (Hz) (dB re 20e-6 m/sec²-N) (dB re 20e-6 Pa/N)
Present Lee and Singh Present Lee and Singh Present Lee and Singh
work (2005a, 2005b) work (2005a, 2005b) work (2005a, 2005b)
1346 1331 120 120 83 82
3068 3063 115 115 70 70
3500 3481 128 130 78 80

6 Analysis of mode shapes and directivity pattern for an isotropic circular

disc

From the mode shapes (Figure 11) it is evident, at the radial position 0.375 m there is
occurrence of anti-nodes for all modes of disc. So point excitation at this location leads to
vibrate and radiate sound from all modes of disc.
134 B. Rajesh Kumar et al.

Figure 11 Mode shapes of a pure steel circular disc (see online version for colours)

7 Prediction of position of point load

Generally driven point admittance is used for prediction of location of point excitation
where it has more influence on vibro-acoustic behaviour. For the current case a simple
isotropic steel (n = 0) circular disc is used for prediction of point excitation location
as shown in Figure 14. At the radial position, 0.375 m point excitation leads to excitation
of all modes, high driven point admittance and radiated sound power level when
compared to other locations from Figures 12 and 13 respectively. A similar trend is
observed for other cases of FGM index, so, further study is carried out at that particular
location.

Figure 12 Driven point admittance from a pure steel circular disc for point excitation at different
radial positions (see online version for colours)

Figure 13 Radiated sound power level from a pure steel circular disc for point excitation at
different radial positions (see online version for colours)
 Vibro-acoustic analysis of FGM discs under thermal environment 135

Figure 14 Position at which directivity pattern is measured

Directivity pattern in Figure 15, for first four modes, exactly 0.5 m distant from each
position of loading as shown in Figure 14 gives the information of more sound radiated
when excitation is at radial position 0.375. So point excitation at this location leads
to vibrate and radiate sound from all modes of disc.

Figure 15 Directivity pattern of radiated sound pressure for excitation at different radial positions:
(a) Mode (1, 1), (b) Mode (2, 1), (c) Mode (3, 1), (d) Mode (4, 1) (see online version
for colours)
136 B. Rajesh Kumar et al.

8 Vibro-acoustic response from FGM disc for all cases of FGM index

From the literature it is evident that availability of FGM disc with several cases of FGM
index is possible. Using current FGM macro all cases are modelled and vibro-acoustic
response is computed. A FGM with index n = 0, purely metal and n = 1000, purely
ceramic cases are also studied for the sake of completeness, but only combination
of metal and ceramic are to be considered as FGM.
Among all cases it is observed, FGM index n = 15 has a considerable strength,
from the normal displacements and velocities given in Figures 16 and 17 respectively.
Comparable acceleration level from Figure 18; a minor difference in radiated sound
pressure and power level from Figures 19 and 20 respectively, when compared with other
cases of FGM index, though it has high application frequency range.

Figure 16 Normal displacements of circular disc for different cases of FGM index
(see online version for colours)

Figure 17 Normal velocities of circular disc for different cases of FGM index
(see online version for colours)
 Vibro-acoustic analysis of FGM discs under thermal environment 137

Figure 18 Acceleration response from circular disc for different cases of FGM index (see online
version for colours)

Figure 19 Radiated sound pressure from circular disc for different cases of FGM index
(see online version for colours)

Figure 20 Radiated sound power level from circular disc for different cases of FGM index
(see online version for colours)
138 B. Rajesh Kumar et al.

The radiation efficiency in Figure 21 which signifies the conversion of vibrational energy
to sound power decreases as FGM index increases. So in the case when the FGM index
n = 15 the advantages of both constituents can be fully exploited and also can be used
for desired range of thermal gradient due to its high critical buckling temperature.
The directivity pattern for the first three modes of FGM disc exactly 0.5 m distant
from the disc are given in Figure 22, they resemble the mode shape of circular disc and
more number of ripples observed in θ -dir for higher modes.
From directivity pattern we can observe the occurrence of high pressure level at any
different position in θ -dir for a particular natural frequency.

Figure 21 Radiation efficiency for circular disc for different cases of FGM index
(see online version for colours)

Figure 22 Directivity pattern of radiated sound pressure level from circular disc for different
cases of FGM index: (a) Mode (1, 1); (b) Mode (2, 1) and (c) Mode (3, 1)
(see online version for colours)

(a)
 Vibro-acoustic analysis of FGM discs under thermal environment 139

Figure 22 Directivity pattern of radiated sound pressure level from circular disc for different
cases of FGM index: (a) Mode (1, 1); (b) Mode (2, 1) and (c) Mode (3, 1)
(see online version for colours) (continued)

(c)

9 Variation in natural frequency for increase in thermal load

In the case of FGM circular disc of all indices, from Figure 23 as temperature increases
there is a huge shift in natural frequencies and finally mode (1, 1) reaches to zero
when thermal load increases to critical buckling temperature.
140 B. Rajesh Kumar et al.

Figure 23 Decrease of mode (1, 1) with increase in thermal load (see online version for colours)

10 Vibro-acoustic response from FGM disc subjected to increasing

thermal load

In the case of FGM there is an increase in normal displacements and velocities

from Figures 24 and 25 respectively, there is also a huge shift in natural frequencies as
thermal load increases.
Acceleration level and radiated sound power level as seen in Figures 26 and 27,
increase as the thermal load increases, but suddenly decrease when thermal load reaches
critical buckling temperature due to huge shift in frequency range.

Figure 24 Normal displacements of FGM circular disc with index n = 15 subjected to different
thermal loads (see online version for colours)
 Vibro-acoustic analysis of FGM discs under thermal environment 141

Figure 25 Normal velocities of FGM circular disc with index n = 15 subjected to different
thermal loads (see online version for colours)

Figure 26 Acceleration response from FGM circular disc with index n = 15 subjected to
different thermal loads (see online version for colours)

Figure 27 Radiated sound pressure level from FGM circular disc with index n = 15 subjected
to different thermal loads (see online version for colours)
142 B. Rajesh Kumar et al.

Radiated sound power as seen in Figure 28, is increases as thermal load increases and
radiation efficiency from Figure 29, also increases. There is huge decrease in the case
when thermal load is near to critical buckling temperature.

Figure 28 Radiated sound power level from circular disc with index n = 15 subjected to
different thermal loads (see online version for colours)

Figure 29 Radiation efficiency of circular disc with index n = 15 subjected to different thermal
loads (see online version for colours)

The directivity pattern for the first three modes of FGM disc exactly 0.5 m distant from
the disc are given in Figure 30, they resemble the mode shape of circular disc and more
number of ripples observed in θ -dir for higher modes.
From directivity pattern we can observe the occurrence of high pressure level at any
different position in θ -dir for a particular natural frequency.
 Vibro-acoustic analysis of FGM discs under thermal environment 143

Figure 30 Directivity pattern of radiated sound pressure from a circular disc subjected to different
thermal loads: (a) Mode (1, 1); (b) Mode (2, 1) and (c) Mode (3, 1) (see online version
for colours)
144 B. Rajesh Kumar et al.

11 Vibro-acoustic behaviour of a FGM circular disc made up of different

materials with different FGM indices subjected to increasing thermal
load

11.1 RMS of acceleration (dB re 20e-6 m/sec²)

The RMS value of acceleration in the range of first three modes of the disc, composed
of different combinations of ceramics like Si3N4, Al2O3 and ZrO3 with steel, subjected
to increasing thermal loads given in Figure 31(a)–(c). It signifies the variation of
acceleration with in a range of temperature, as thermal load increases there is an increase
in level and beyond 0.5 times the critical buckling temperature there is degradation
in level for all FGM discs.

Figure 31 RMS value of acceleration level from circular disc made up of with different
materials and FGM indices. (a) SUS-Si3N4 circular disc; (b) SUS-Al2O3 circular disc
and (c) SUS-ZrO3 circular disc (see online version for colours)

(a)

(b)
 Vibro-acoustic analysis of FGM discs under thermal environment 145

Figure 31 RMS value of acceleration level from circular disc made up of with different
materials and FGM indices. (a) SUS-Si3N4 circular disc; (b) SUS-Al2O3 circular disc
and (c) SUS-ZrO3 circular disc (see online version for colours) (continued)

(c)

11.2 RMS of radiated sound pressure level (dB re 20e-6 Pa)

The RMS value of radiated sound pressure level in the range of first three modes of the
disc composed of different combinations of ceramics like Si3N4, Al2O3 and ZrO3 with
steel, subjected to increasing thermal loads given in Figure 32(a)–(c).

Figure 32 RMS of Radiated sound pressure level: (a) SUS-Si3N4 circular disc, (b) SUS- Al2O3
circular disc, (c) SUS- ZrO3 circular disc (see online version for colours)

(a)
146 B. Rajesh Kumar et al.

Figure 32 RMS of Radiated sound pressure level: (a) SUS-Si3N4 circular disc, (b) SUS- Al2O3
circular disc, (c) SUS- ZrO3 circular disc (see online version for colours) (continued)

(b)

(c)

It signifies the variation of the radiated sound pressure levels within a range of
temperature; as the thermal load increases there is an increase in the level and beyond
0.5 times the critical buckling temperature there is degradation in level for all FGM discs.

11.3 RMS of radiated sound power level (dB re 1e-12 W)

The RMS value of radiated sound power level in the range of first three modes of the
disc composed of different combinations of ceramics like Si3N4, Al2O3 and ZrO3 with
steel, subjected to increasing thermal load given in Figure 33 (a)–(c).
It signifies the variation of radiated sound power levels with in a range of
temperature, as the thermal load increases there is an increase in the level and beyond
0.5 times the critical buckling temperature there is degradation in level for SUS-ZrO3
and in the case of other FGM discs there is increase in level for thermal loading beyond
0.75 times the critical buckling temperature.
 Vibro-acoustic analysis of FGM discs under thermal environment 147

Figure 33 RMS of Radiated sound power level: (a) SUS-Si3N4 circular disc; (b) SUS- Al2O3
circular disc and (c) SUS- ZrO3 circular disc (see online version for colours)

(a)

(b)

(c)
148 B. Rajesh Kumar et al.

12 Conclusions

• Driven point admittance Figure 12 and directivity pattern Figure 15 indicate point
excitation at radial position 0.375 m has more influence on vibro-acoustic behaviour
of the FGM disc. Mode shapes Figure 11 predict the occurrence of
anti- nodes at the radial position 0.375 m. So point excitation at this particular radial
position leads to vibrate and radiate sound from all modes of FGM disc.
• The critical thermal buckling temperature for FGM in the case of uniform
temperature distribution is more than half when compared with variable temperature
distribution case. Due to consideration of temperature dependant material properties
of FGM and more average stress level.
• Among all cases of FGM indices case of n = 15 has optimal composition of
constituents and advantages of both the constituents are fully exploited in the single
FGM. So further detailed study of different combination of ceramics comprising the
FGM disc under thermal environment is carried out for this case.
• Normal displacements and velocities increase under increasing thermal loads for
FGM discs. Acceleration and radiated sound pressure level from Figures 26 and 27
are increase as thermal load increases but there is sudden decrease when the thermal
load reaches to the critical buckling temperature, due to huge shift in the frequency
range. A similar trend is observed for radiation efficiency. Radiated sound power
level from Figure 28, increases with increase in thermal load.
• RMS value of acceleration and radiated sound pressure level are increasing as
thermal load increases and degradation in level for further increase in thermal load
beyond 0.5 times critical buckling temperature. In the case of radiated sound power
level there is a sudden increase when it reaches to critical buckling temperature for
SUS-Al2O3 and SUS-Si3N4 disc.

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