Wave propagation of FG polymer composite nanoplates reinforced with GNPs

Abstract

This study examines the wave propagation of the functionally graded polymer composite (FG-PC) nanoplates reinforced with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) resting on elastic foundations in the framework of the nonlocal strain gradient theory incorporating both stiffness hardening and softening mechanisms of nanostructures. To this end, the material properties are based on the Halpin-Tsai model, and the expressions for the classical and higher-order stresses and strains are consistently derived employing the second-order shear deformation theory. The equations of motion are then consistently derived using Hamilton\'s principle of variation. These governing equations are solved with the help of Trial function method. Extensive numerical discussions are conducted for wave propagation of the nanoplates and the influences of different parameters, such as the nonlocal parameter, strain gradient parameter, weight fraction of GNPs, uniform and non-uniform distributions of GNPs, elastic foundation parameters as well as wave number.