Application of the exact spectral element method in the analysis of the smart functionally graded plate

This study aims to extend the application of the spectral element method (SEM) to wave propagation and free vibration analysis of functionally graded (FG) plates integrated with thin piezoelectric layers, plates with tapered thickness and structure on elastic foundations. Also, the dynamic response of the smart FG plate under impact and moving loads is presented. In this paper, the dynamic stiffness matrix of the smart rectangular FG plate is determined by using the exact dynamic shape functions based on Mindlin plate assumptions. The low computational time and results' independence with the number of elements are two significant features of the SEM. Also, to prove the accuracy and efficiency of the SEM, results are compared with Abaqus simulations and those reported in references. Furthermore, the effects of boundary conditions, power-law index, piezoelectric layers thickness, and type of loading on the results are studied.