Composite Plates In Thermal Environments Research Articles

Nonlinear vibration of nanotube-reinforced composite plates in thermal environments

This paper deals with the large amplitude vibration of nanocomposite plates reinforced by single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) resting on an elastic foundation in thermal environments. The SWCNTs are assumed aligned, straight and a uniform layout. Two kinds of carbon nanotube-reinforced composite (CNTRC) plates, namely, uniformly distributed (UD) and functionally graded (FG) reinforcements, are considered. The material properties of FG-CNTRC plates are assumed to be graded in the thickness direction, and are estimated through a micromechanical model. The motion equations are based on a higher-order shear deformation plate theory that includes plate-foundation interaction. The thermal effects are also included and the material properties of CNTRCs are assumed to be temperature-dependent. The equations of motion are solved by an improved perturbation technique to determine nonlinear frequencies of CNTRC plates. Numerical results reveal that the natural frequencies as well as the nonlinear to linear frequency ratios are increased by increasing the CNT volume fraction. The results also show that the natural frequencies are reduced but the nonlinear to linear frequency ratios are increased by increasing the temperature rise or by decreasing the foundation stiffness. The results confirm that a functionally graded reinforcement has a significant effect on the nonlinear vibration characteristics of CNTRC plates.

Stochastic Free Vibration of Laminated Composite Plates in Thermal Environments

This work deals with the stochastic free vibration of laminated composite plates subjected to a thermal loading with general boundary conditions by taking into account the randomness in lamina material properties and thermal expansion coefficients. The system equations have been derived based on higher order shear deformation theory incorporating rotary inertia effects. A C 0 finite element method is used for treating the random eigenvalue problem. A mean centered first-order perturbation technique is adopted to examine the stochastic characteristics of thermal free vibration response. The results have been compared with those available in the literature and independent Monte Carlo simulation.

Stochastic Free Vibration of Laminated Composite Plates in Thermal Environments

Stochastic Free Vibration of Laminated Composite Plates in Thermal Environments

Nonlinear bending of functionally graded carbon nanotube-reinforced composite plates in thermal environments

This paper presents an investigation on the nonlinear bending of simply supported, functionally graded nanocomposite plates reinforced by single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) subjected to a transverse uniform or sinusoidal load in thermal environments. The material properties of SWCNTs are assumed to be temperature-dependent and are obtained from molecular dynamics simulations. The material properties of functionally graded carbon nanotube-reinforced composites (FG-CNTCRs) are assumed to be graded in the thickness direction, and are estimated through a micromechanical model. The governing equations are based on a higher order shear deformation plate theory with a von Karman-type of kinematic nonlinearity and include thermal effects. A two step perturbation technique is employed to determine the load-deflection and load-bending moment curves. The numerical illustrations concern the nonlinear bending response of FG-CNTRC plates under different sets of thermal environmental conditions, from which results for uniformly distributed CNTRC plates are obtained as comparators. The results show that the load-bending moment curves of the plate can be significantly increased as a result of a functionally graded reinforcement. They also confirm that the characteristics of nonlinear bending are significantly influenced by temperature rise, the character of in-plane boundary conditions, the transverse shear deformation, the plate aspect ratio as well as the nanotube volume fraction.