The spatially and temporally varying heat flux and mechanical load on the top (bottom) surface of
laminated plates with functionally graded layers are estimated using an inverse algorithm. The temperature
and strains at a number of points on the bottom (top) surface of the plate are the only measured input data. The
solution of the corresponding direct problem is used to simulate the measured temperatures and strains, which
are obtained based on a three-dimensional layerwise thermoelastic analysis. The conjugate gradient method
as a powerful technique for optimization in conjunction with the discrepancy principle is employed to develop
the inverse solution procedure. A semi-analytical approach composed of the layerwise-differential quadrature
method and series solution is adopted to discretize the governing differential equations subjected to the related
boundary and initial conditions. The influence of measurement errors on the accuracy of the estimated heat flux
andmechanical load is investigated. The good accuracy of the results validates the presented inverse approach.