The necessity of constant monitoring of the main trends in research and application of materials and technologies is imposed as an obligation in the field of engineering and applied science. The paper presents the fundamental characteristics of functionally graded materials (FGM) and points out their advantages over conventional materials. Considering the variable material characteristics that FGM have in the direction of the plate thickness, special attention was paid to the definition of analytical functions that can adequately describe the mentioned structure. Those functions are the basis for obtaining the FGM mathematical model for stress‐strain analysis of plates. A review and syste.matization of plate theories used in the analysis of conventional composite laminates was performed. The possibilities to adapt and implement previously mentioned plate theories for the analysis of FGM plates are described. Based on the described theoretical foundations, numerical examples were made, appropriate interpretations were given and certain conclusions were reached.

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