Biaxial buckling analysis of functionally graded nanocomposite sandwich plates reinforced by aggregated carbon nanotube using improved high-order theory

Abstract

In this work, biaxial buckling analysis of sandwich plates with symmetric composite laminated core and two functionally graded nanocomposite face sheets is carried out by a new improved high-order theory. The nanocomposite face sheets are carbon nanotube (CNT)-reinforced nanocomposites and the material properties of the nanocomposites plates are graded along the thickness and are estimated though the Mori–Tanaka approach. CNTs are assumed randomly oriented and aggregated into some clusters. The same third order theory is used for modeling of core and the faces sheets. The theory has third and second orders of z for in-plane and normal displacements, respectively. The principle of minimum potential energy is used to derive the equations of motion and boundary conditions. Analytical solution for static analysis of simply supported sandwich plates under biaxial in-plane compressive loads is presented using Navier’s solution. The effects of CNT volume fraction, CNT aggregation states, CNT distribution, biaxial loads ratio, and geometric dimensions of sandwich plate are investigated on the overall buckling of functionally graded carbon nanotube-reinforced nanocomposite sandwich plates.