Buckling response of laminated FG-CNT reinforced composite plates: Analytical and finite element approach

Abstract

A 3D finite element model using suitable user subroutines in ABAQUS finite element software and an analytical solution based on the third-order shear deformation laminated plate theory combined with von Kármán's geometric nonlinearity are proposed to simulate the functionally graded Carbon Nanotubes (CNTs) throughout a plate's thickness. The former is used for the estimation of the buckling response and the latter is used for the estimation of both buckling and post-buckling response of laminated nanocomposite plates under uniform and parabolic loading. In the analytical approach, the governing equations are solved by the Galerkin method and Airy's stress function to obtain the buckling coefficient of FG-CNT reinforced composite plates. The effect of various factors, such as boundary conditions, types of loads, distribution type and volume fraction of CNTs, geometrical parameters, etc on the buckling and post-buckling response is investigated. It has been found that a higher volume fraction of CNTs increases the buckling and post-buckling strength of laminated composite plates, whereas the laminated plate with angle-ply orientations equal to 45 degrees has the maximum buckling load factor among the CNT fiber orientations considered.