Thermoelastic Vibration and Flexural Behavior of FG-CNT Reinforced Composite Curved Panel

Abstract

The free vibration and flexural behavior of functionally graded carbon nanotube reinforced composite curved panel is investigated under uniform and linear thermal environment. The carbon nanotube reinforced composite curved panel has been modeled mathematically based on the higher-order shear deformation theory. The nanotube properties are assumed to be depended on the temperature and graded in the thickness direction using different grading rules. The governing equations for the static and vibration analysis of the functionally graded carbon nanotube reinforced composite panel are obtained using the variational method. Further, isoparametric finite element steps are implemented for the discretization of the governing equation and solved numerically via a specialized computer code developed in MATLAB environment. The rate of convergence and the validity of the presently developed numerical model have been checked. Finally, the effect of different geometrical and material parameters (thickness ratios, support conditions, volume fractions, thermal load, aspect ratios, and type of grading) on the free vibration and flexural behavior of functionally graded carbon nanotube reinforced composite are examined and discussed detail under thermal environment.