journal article Open Access Apr 08, 2026

Element-Free Galerkin Method for Analyzing Size-Dependent Thermally Induced Free Vibration Characteristics of Functionally Graded Magneto-Electro-Elastic Doubly Curved Microscale Shells

Materials Vol. 19 No. 8 pp. 1494 · MDPI AG
View at Publisher Save 10.3390/ma19081494
Abstract
Within the framework of consistent couple stress theory (CCST) and employing Hamilton’s principle, we derive a Galerkin weak formulation to analyze the three-dimensional (3D) size-dependent free vibration characteristics of a simply supported, functionally graded (FG) magneto-electro-elastic (MEE) doubly curved (DC) microscale shell subjected to a uniform temperature change. Incorporating the differential reproducing kernel (DRK) interpolants into the weak formulation, we further develop an element-free Galerkin (EFG) method. The microscale shell of interest is composed of two-phase MEE materials, and its material properties are assumed to vary through its thickness according to a power-law distribution of the volume fractions of the constituents. The results show that the natural frequency solutions obtained using the EFG method are in excellent agreement with the reported 3D solutions for laminated composite and FG-MEE macroscale plates, with the material length-scale parameter and the inverse of the curvature radii set to zero. The effects of the material length-scale parameter, temperature change, inhomogeneity index, and mid-surface radius and length-to-thickness ratios on the FG-MEE microscale shell’s free vibration characteristics in a thermal environment are examined and appear to be significant.
Topics

No keywords indexed for this article. Browse by subject →

References
52
[1]
Multiferroic magnetoelectric composites: Historical perspective, status, and future directions

Ce-Wen Nan, M. I. Bichurin, Shuxiang Dong et al.

Journal of Applied Physics 2008 10.1063/1.2836410
[2]
Chee "A review on the modelling of piezoelectric sensors and actuators incorporated in intelligent structures" J. Intell. Mater. Syst. Struct. (1998) 10.1177/1045389x9800900101
[3]
Sojan "A comprehensive review of energy harvesting techniques and its potential applications" Int. J. Comput. Appl. (2016)
[4]
A review of energy harvesting using piezoelectric materials: state-of-the-art a decade later (2008–2018)

Mohsen Safaei, Henry A Sodano, Steven R Anton

Smart Materials and Structures 2019 10.1088/1361-665x/ab36e4
[5]
Algamili "A review of actuation and sensing mechanisms in MEMS-based sensor devices" Nanoscale Res. Lett. (2021) 10.1186/s11671-021-03481-7
[6]
Zhang "Static and dynamic analysis of functionally graded magneto-electro-elastic plates and shells" Compos. Struct. (2022) 10.1016/j.compstruct.2021.114950
[7]
Zhao "Finite element analysis of functionally graded magneto-electro-elastic porous cylindrical shells subjected to thermal loads" Mech. Adv. Mater. Struct. (2024) 10.1080/15376494.2023.2188326
[8]
Moita "Analyses of magneto-electro-elastic plates using a higher order finite element model" Compos. Struct. (2009) 10.1016/j.compstruct.2009.04.007
[9]
Tornabene "Magneto-electro-elastic analysis of doubly-curved shells: Higher-order equivalent layer-wise formulation" Comput. Model. Eng. Sci. (2025)
[10]
Bhangale "Free vibration of simply supported functionally graded and layered magneto-electro-elastic plates by finite element method" J. Sound Vibr. (2006) 10.1016/j.jsv.2005.12.030
[11]
Wu "A mesh-free DRK-based collocation method for the coupled analysis of functionally graded magneto-electro-elastic shells and plates" Comput. Model. Eng. Sci. (2008)
[12]
Pan "Exact solutions for magneto-electro-elastic laminates in cylindrical bending" Int. J. Solids Struct. (2003) 10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2003.08.003
[13]
Brischetto, S., and Cesare, D. (2025). Three-dimensional magneto-elastic analysis of functionally graded plates and shells. J. Compos. Sci., 9. 10.3390/jcs9050214
[14]
Brischetto "3D exact magneto-electro-elastic static analysis of multilayered plates" Comput. Model. Eng. Sci. (2025)
[15]
Wu "Three-dimensional static behavior of functionally graded magneto-electro-elastic plates using the modified Pagano method" Mech. Res. Commun. (2010) 10.1016/j.mechrescom.2009.10.003
[16]
Wu "Static behavior of functionally graded magneto-electro-elastic shells under electric displacement and magnetic flux" Int. J. Eng. Sci. (2007)
[17]
Tsai "Dynamic responses of functionally graded magneto-electro-elastic shells with open-circuit surface conditions" Int. J. Eng. Sci. (2008)
[18]
Vinyas "Computational analysis of smart magneto-electro-elastic materials and structures: Review and classification" Arch. Comput. Methods Eng. (2021) 10.1007/s11831-020-09406-4
[19]
Alhegazi "Review of recent developments in filtering-antennas" Int. J. Commun. Antenna Propag. (2016)
[20]
Hikmat "RF MEMS inductors and their applications—A review" J. Microelectromech. Syst. (2017) 10.1109/jmems.2016.2627039
[21]
Liu "Recent advances in micro-vibration isolation" Mech. Syst. Signal Process. (2015) 10.1016/j.ymssp.2014.10.007
[22]
Yasa "An review of soft robotics" Annu. Rev. Control Robot. Auton. Syst. (2023) 10.1146/annurev-control-062322-100607
[23]
Chen "Electronic muscles and skins: A review of soft sensors and actuators" Chem. Rev. (2017) 10.1021/acs.chemrev.7b00019
[24]
Couple stress theory for solids

Ali R. Hadjesfandiari, Gary F. Dargush

International Journal of Solids and Structures 2011 10.1016/j.ijsolstr.2011.05.002
[25]
Wang "Size-dependent finite element analysis of FGMs in thermal environment based on the modified couple stress theory" Eng. Comput. (2024) 10.1108/ec-10-2023-0666
[26]
Wu "A three-dimensional weak formulation for stress, deformation, and free vibration analyses of functionally graded microscale plates based on the consistent couple stress theory" Compos. Struct. (2022) 10.1016/j.compstruct.2022.115829
[27]
Experiments and theory in strain gradient elasticity

D.C.C. Lam, F. Yang, A.C.M. Chong et al.

Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids 2003 10.1016/s0022-5096(03)00053-x
[28]
Couple stress based strain gradient theory for elasticity

F. Yang, A.C.M. Chong, D.C.C. Lam et al.

International Journal of Solids and Structures 2002 10.1016/s0020-7683(02)00152-x
[29]
Thai "Size dependent free vibration analysis of multilayer functionally graded GPLRC microplates based on modified strain gradient theory" Compos. Part B (2019) 10.1016/j.compositesb.2019.02.048
[30]
Wu "A comparative study of consistent couple stress and strain gradient theories on the mechanical behaviors of functionally graded microplates using the local Petrov-Galerkin meshless method" Thin-Walled Struct. (2025) 10.1016/j.tws.2025.113527
[31]
Gerami, A., Silani, M., and Javanbakht, M. (2025). Comparative analysis of local and nonlocal elasticity theories at the nanoscale via FEM and MD simulations. Mech. Adv. Mater. Struct., 1–18. 10.1080/15376494.2025.2591165
[32]
Hassanpour "Micropolar elasticity theory: A survey of linear isotropic equations, representative notations, and experimental investigations" Meth. Mech. Solids (2015)
[33]
Kojic "A finite element formulation for the doublet mechanics modeling of microstructural materials" Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Eng. (2011) 10.1016/j.cma.2011.01.001
[34]
Vasiliev "Non-classical theories of beams, plates, and shells (A review)" Mech. Solids (2024) 10.1134/s0025654424700377
[35]
Romanoff "A review on non-classical continuum mechanics" Mech. Adv. Mater. Struct. (2020) 10.1080/15376494.2020.1717693
[36]
Shang "Challenges and advances in conventional finite elements for couple stress elasticity: A comprehensive review" Arch. Comput. Methods Eng. (2025) 10.1007/s11831-025-10400-x
[37]
Wu, C.P., and Chang, T.Y. (2025). A review of modified/consistent couple stress and strain gradient theories for analyzing static and dynamic behaviors of functionally graded microscale plates and shells. Materials, 18. 10.3390/ma18194475
[38]
Wu "A review of mechanical analyses of rectangular nanobeams and single-, double-, and multi-walled carbon nanotubes using Eringen’s nonlocal elasticity theory" Arch. Appl. Mech. (2019) 10.1007/s00419-019-01542-z
[39]
Wu "A review of dynamic analyses of single- and multi-layered graphene sheets/nanoplates using various nonlocal continuum mechanics-based plate theories" Acta Mech. (2021) 10.1007/s00707-021-03068-4
[40]
Nuhu "A comprehensive review on the vibration analyses of small-scaled plate-based structures by utilizing the nonclassical continuum elasticity theories" Thin-Walled Struct. (2022) 10.1016/j.tws.2022.109622
[41]
Mehralian "Thermo-electro-mechanical analysis of cylindrical nanoshell on the basis of modified couple stress theory" J. Mech. Sci. Technol. (2017) 10.1007/s12206-017-0325-8
[42]
Lou "Buckling and post-buckling analyses of piezoelectric hybrid microplates subject to thermo-electro-mechanical loads based on the modified couple stress theory" Compos. Struct. (2016) 10.1016/j.compstruct.2016.05.107
[43]
Abazid "Thermo-electro-mechanical bending of FG piezoelectric microplates on Pasternak foundation based on a four-variable plate model and the modified couple stress theory" Microsyst. Technol. (2018) 10.1007/s00542-017-3492-8
[44]
Zhang "Modified couple stress theory application to analyze mechanical buckling behavior of three-layer rectangular microplates with honeycomb core and piezoelectric face sheets" Compos. Struct. (2022) 10.1016/j.compstruct.2022.115582
[45]
Dehsaraji "Three-dimensional thermo-electro-mechanical buckling analysis of functionally graded piezoelectric micro/nano-shells based on modified couple stress theory considering thickness stretching effect" Mech. Adv. Mater. Struct. (2021) 10.1080/15376494.2020.1716419
[46]
Wu, C.P., and Hsu, C.D. (2025). A unified size-dependent theory for analyzing the free vibration behavior of an FG microplate under fully simply supported conditions and magneto-electro-thermo-mechanical loads considering couple stress and thickness stretching effects. J. Compos. Sci., 9. 10.3390/jcs9050201
[47]
Wang "A meshless collocation method based on the differential reproducing kernel interpolation" Comput. Mech. (2010) 10.1007/s00466-010-0472-6
[48]
Reddy, J.N. (1984). Energy and Variational Methods in Applied Mechanics, Wiley.
[49]
Wu, C.P., and Chang, R.S. (2026). Semi-analytical differential reproducing kernel element method for the size-dependent free vibration characteristics of functionally graded doubly curved microscale shells. Int. J. Struct. Stab. Dyn. 10.1142/s0219455426502603
[50]
Chen "Modal analysis of magneto-electro-elastic plates using the state-vector approach" J. Sound Vibr. (2007) 10.1016/j.jsv.2007.03.021

Showing 50 of 52 references

Metrics
0
Citations
52
References
Details
Published
Apr 08, 2026
Vol/Issue
19(8)
Pages
1494
License
View
Funding
National Science and Technology Council of Taiwan Award: NSTC 114-2221-E-006-010-MY3
Cite This Article
Meng-Jung Liu (2026). Element-Free Galerkin Method for Analyzing Size-Dependent Thermally Induced Free Vibration Characteristics of Functionally Graded Magneto-Electro-Elastic Doubly Curved Microscale Shells. Materials, 19(8), 1494. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma19081494
Related

You May Also Like

Zinc Oxide—From Synthesis to Application: A Review

Agnieszka Kołodziejczak-Radzimska, Teofil Jesionowski · 2014

2,108 citations

Biodegradable Polymers

Isabelle Vroman, Lan Tighzert · 2009

1,211 citations

Bioactive Glass and Glass-Ceramic Scaffolds for Bone Tissue Engineering

Lutz-Christian Gerhardt, Aldo R. Boccaccini · 2010

1,032 citations

Fabrication and Properties of Carbon Fibers

Xiaosong Huang · 2009

821 citations

Self-Healing in Cementitious Materials—A Review

Kim Van Tittelboom, Nele De Belie · 2013

807 citations