  In this paper, a cell-based smoothed finite element method with discrete
shear gap technique for triangular ele- ments is employed to study the linear
flutter characteristics of functionally graded material (FGM) flat panels. The
influence of thermal environment, the presence of a centrally located circular
cutout and the aerodynamic damping on the supersonic flutter characteristics of
flat FGM panels is also investigated. The structural for- mulation is based on
the first-order shear deformation theory and the material properties are
assumed to be temperature dependent and graded only in the thickness direction
according to power law distribution in terms of the volume fraction of its
constituent materials. The aerodynamic force is evaluated by considering the
first order high mach number approximation to linear potential flow theory. The
formulation includes transverse shear deformation and in-plane and rotary
inertia effects. The influence of the plate thickness, aspect ratio, boundary
conditions, material gradient index, temperature dependent material properties,
damping, cutout size, skewness of the plate and boundary conditions on the
critical aerodynamic pressure is numerically studied.
