Vibration of smart laminated carbon nanotube-reinforced composite cylindrical panels on elastic foundations in hygrothermal environments

Abstract

This paper studies vibration characteristics of smart laminated carbon nanotube-reinforced composite cylindrical panels resting on elastic foundations affected by hygrothermal environmental conditions. Effective material properties are estimated by the Mori-Tanaka micromechanics model. The motion equations for the vibration problem of the laminated composite panel are derived from the lamination theory and the first order shear deformation theory and take into consideration of the effects of elastic foundations, piezoelectricity, and temperature and moisture variations. Natural frequencies of panel vibration under various mechanical boundary conditions are computed using wave propagation approach. Parametric studies with the effects of boundary conditions, elastic foundations, panel geometry, carbon nanotube reinforcement, piezoelectricity, and hygrothermal conditions on frequencies are presented. Adding more ending supports, elastic foundations, and increase of nanotube volume fraction have increasing influence on the frequencies, while increase of panel length and decrease of its thickness, bonding piezoelectric materials, and increase of temperature and moisture lead to the decrease of frequencies.