On thermally induced instability of FG-CNTRC cylindrical panels

Abstract

In this study, thermally induced bifurcation buckling of shallow composite cylindrical panels reinforced with aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes is investigated. Distribution of carbon nanotubes across the thickness of the cylindrical panel as reinforcements may be either uniform or functionally graded. Thermo-mechanical properties of the matrix and reinforcements are considered to be temperature dependent. Properties of the cylindrical panel are obtained using a refined micromechanical approach which introduces the auxiliary parameters into the rule of mixtures. The governing equations are obtained by using the static version of the Hamilton principle based on the first-order shear deformation theory and considering the linear strain-displacement relation. An energy-based Ritz method and an iterative process are used to obtain the critical buckling temperature of composite cylindrical panel with temperature dependent material properties. In addition, the effect of various parameters such as the boundary conditions, different geometrical conditions, distribution pattern of CNTs across the thickness and their volume fraction are studied on the critical buckling temperature and buckled pattern of cylindrical panels. It is shown that FG-X type of CNT dispersion is the most influential type in thermal stability.