Abstract
In the present study, a buckling analysis of laminated composite rectangular plates reinforced with multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) inclusions is carried out using the finite element method (FEM). The rule of mixtures and the Halpin–Tsai model are employed to calculate the elastic modulus of the nanocomposite matrix. The effects of three critical factors, including random dispersion, waviness, and agglomeration of MWCNTs in the polymer matrix, on the material properties of the nanocomposite are analyzed. Then, the critical buckling loads of the composite plates are numerically determined for different design parameters, such as plate side-to-thickness ratio, elastic modulus ratio, boundary conditions, layup schemes, and fiber orientation angles. The influence of carbon nanotube fillers on the critical buckling load of a nanocomposite rectangular plate, considering the modified Halpin–Tsai micromechanical model, is demonstrated. The results are in good agreement with experimental and other theoretical data available in the open literature.
Highlights
The physical understanding and numerical simulation of the buckling responses of laminated composite plates have been the focus of intense efforts due to the extended use of fibrous composites in automotive, aerospace, naval architecture, and other fields of modern engineering technology
The results showed that the changes of carbon nanotube volume fraction, plate widthto-thickness ratio, plate boundary condition and aspect ratio, loading condition, and temperature had a distinct effect on the buckling response of carbon nanotubes (CNTs)-reinforced plates
The results show that the critical buckling load of the CNT/polymer nanocomposite is significantly sensitive to the CNT inclusion mainly when θ ≤ 45◦
Summary
The physical understanding and numerical simulation of the buckling responses of laminated composite plates have been the focus of intense efforts due to the extended use of fibrous composites in automotive, aerospace, naval architecture, and other fields of modern engineering technology. CNT-based material properties were determined using the two-parameter model of agglomeration based on the Eshelby–Mori–Tanaka approach, while FEM was conducted for behavioral analysis through the higher-order shear deformation theory based on the displacement field of Kant. From their results, it can be concluded that the agglomeration effect deteriorates the mechanical behavior of the composite plates. The development of suitable computational procedures based on finite element analysis for the prediction of the mechanical behavior of rectangular plates manufactured from laminated composite materials reinforced with MWCNTs and considering factors such as agglomeration, orientation, and waviness is presented
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