Wave propagation in functionally graded composite cylinders reinforced by aggregated carbon nanotube

Abstract

This work reports wave propagation in the nanocomposite cylinders that reinforced by straight single-walled carbon nanotubes based on a mesh-free method. Moving least square shape functions have been used for approximation of displacement field in weak form of motion equation. The straight carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are assumed to be oriented in specific or random directions or locally aggregated into some clusters. In this simulation, an axisymmetric model is used and also the volume fractions of the CNTs and clusters are assumed to be functionally graded along the thickness. So, material properties of the carbon nanotube reinforced composite cylinders are variable and estimated based on the Eshelby-Mori-Tanaka approach. The effects of orientation, aggregation and volume fractions of the functionally graded clusters and CNTs on dynamic behavior of nanocomposite cylinders are studied. This study results show that orientation and aggregation of CNTs have significant effects on the effective stiffness and dynamic behaviors.