Thermally induced large deflection analysis of graphene platelet reinforced nanocomposite cylindrical panels

Abstract

A perturbation-based solution is presented to estimate the thermally induced nonlinear response of long composite cylindrical panels reinforced by graphene platelets (GPLs). The shell surrounding medium is also simulated using a three-parameter nonlinear elastic foundation. Different types of distribution patterns are considered for the GPL reinforced composite where its properties are functionally graded (FG). The effective material properties of the nanocomposite shell are obtained utilizing a mathematical model based on the Halpin–Tsai rule. The von Kármán type of kinematic assumptions is incorporated and governing equations are established employing the third-order shear deformation shell model. The equilibrium equations of the shell including cubic nonlinearities are derived utilizing the principle of virtual displacement. The semi-analytical solutions including temperature–deflection relations are obtained using the perturbation method for simply-supported and clamped–clamped edge conditions. The effects of foundation stiffness, geometrical characteristics, distribution pattern of nanofillers, and the GPL weight fraction on the thermally induced nonlinear response of GPL reinforced nanocomposite panels are presented and studied in detail.