Characterizing buckling behavior of matrix-cracked hybrid plates containing CNTR-FG layers

Abstract

In this paper, the effect of matrix cracks on the buckling of a hybrid laminated plate is investigated. The plate is composed of carbon nanotube reinforced functionally graded (CNTR-FG) layers and conventional fiber reinforced composite (FRC) layers. Different distributions of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) through the thickness of layers are considered. The cracks are modeled as aligned slit cracks across the ply thickness and transverse to the laminate plane, and the distribution of cracks is assumed statistically homogeneous corresponding to an average crack density. The first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) is employed to incorporate the effects of rotary inertia and transverse shear deformation, and the meshless kp-Ritz method is used to obtain the buckling solutions. Detailed parametric studies are conducted to investigate the effects of matrix crack density, CNTs distributions, CNT volume fraction, plate aspect ratio and plate length-to-thickness ratio, boundary conditions and number of layers on buckling behaviors of hybrid laminated plates containing CNTR-FG layers.