432 Int. J. Computer Aided Engineering and Technology, Vol. 4, No. 5, 2012 Copyright © 2012 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. Finite element analysis of creep in a functionally graded rotating disc Goel Nitin Mechanical Engineering, UCoE, Punjabi University, Patiala-147002, India E-mail: nitingoel017@gmail.com Garg Manish Department of Physics, Punjabi University, Patiala-147002, India E-mail: manishgarg189@gmail.com B.S. Saini and V.K. Gupta* Mechanical Engineering, UCoE, Punjabi University, Patiala-147002, India E-mail: brsaini@gmail.com E-mail: guptavk_70@yahoo.co.in *Corresponding author Abstract: Creep behaviour of a functionally graded rotating disc has been investigated by using finite element-based Abaqus software. The disc is made of composite containing linear distribution of silicon carbide particles in a matrix of pure aluminium. The creep behaviour of the composite is described by Norton’s power law. The creep response of the FGM disc has been estimated by using Abaqus software and compared with a similar disc but having uniform distribution of silicon carbide reinforcement. It is observed that the radial stress in the FGM disc is higher than the uniform composite disc throughout. However, the tangential and effective stresses in the FGM disc show significant increase near the inner radius but exhibit decrease near the outer radius when compared to a uniform composite disc. The strain rates in the FGM disc are significantly lower than those observed in a similar disc having uniform distribution of reinforcement. Keywords: functionally graded material; FGM; creep; rotating disc; Abaqus; finite element method; FEM. Reference to this paper should be made as follows: Nitin, G., Manish, G., Saini, B.S. and Gupta, V.K. (2012) ‘Finite element analysis of creep in a functionally graded rotating disc’, Int. J. Computer Aided Engineering and Technology, Vol. 4, No. 5, pp.432–444. Biographical notes: Goel Nitin received his BTech in Mechanical Engineering from Kurukshetra University in 2008. He is pursuing his MTech in Mechanical Engineering from University College of Engineering, Punjabi University, Patiala, India.