The effects of carbon nanotube waviness and aspect ratio on the buckling behavior of functionally graded nanocomposite plates using a meshfree method

This work deals with the effects of waviness and aspect ratio on the buckling behavior of functionally graded carbon nanotube‐reinforced composite (FG‐CNTRC) plates subjected to in‐plane loads using reproducing kernel particle method (RKPM) based on modified first‐order shear deformation theory (FSDT). Wavy single‐walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are embedded in a polymer matrix and distributed in four types of distributions. The material properties of an FG‐CNTRC plate are assumed to be graded along the thickness direction of the plate and estimated through a micromechanical model based on the extended rule of mixture. The modified shear correction factors evaluated involving the nonuniform shear stress distribution through the thickness of the FG‐CNTRC plate. For the imposition of the essential boundary conditions the full transformation approach is utilized. The validity and accuracy of the RKPM method is established by a comparison with the obtained results of available literature data. Moreover, the effects of distribution, volume fraction, waviness, and aspect ratio of CNTs are investigated on the buckling behavior of FG‐CNTRC plates for various boundary conditions, plate width‐to‐thickness and aspect ratios. Detailed parametric studies demonstrate that the waviness and aspect ratio of CNTs have noticeable effects on buckling behavior of carbon nanotube‐reinforced composite (CNTRC) plates. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:E531–E541, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers