Forced vibration analysis of functionally graded carbon nanotube-reinforced composite plates using a numerical strategy

In this paper, the nonlinear forced vibration behavior of composite plates reinforced by carbon nanotubes is investigated by a numerical approach. The reinforcement is considered to be functionally graded (FG) in the thickness direction according to a micromechanical model. The first-order shear deformation theory and von Kármán-type kinematic relations are employed. The governing equations and the corresponding boundary conditions are derived with the use of Hamilton's principle. The generalized differential quadrature (GDQ) method is utilized to achieve a discretized set of nonlinear governing equations. A Galerkin-based scheme is then applied to obtain a time-varying set of ordinary differential equations of Duffing-type. Subsequently, a time periodic discretization is done and the frequency response of plates is determined via the pseudo-arc length continuation method. Selected numerical results are given for the effects of different parameters on the nonlinear forced vibration characteristics of uniformly distributed carbon nanotube- and FG carbon nanotube-reinforced composite plates. It is found that with the increase of CNT volume fraction, the flexural stiffness of plate increases; and hence its natural frequency gets larger. Moreover, it is observed that the distribution type of CNTs significantly affects the vibrational behavior of plate. The results also show that when the mid-plane of plate is CNT-rich, the natural frequency takes its minimum value and the hardening-type response of plate is intensified.     

Free Vibration Analysis of Nanocomposite Plates Reinforced by Graded Carbon Nanotubes Based on First-Order Shear Deformation Plate Theory

Based on the Mindlin's first-order shear deformation plate theory this paper focuses on the free vibration behavior of functionally graded nanocomposite plates reinforced by aligned and straight single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The material properties of simply supported functionally graded carbon nanotube-reinforced (FGCNTR) plates are assumed to be graded in the thickness direction. The effective material properties at a point are estimated by either the Eshelby-Mori-Tanaka approach or the extended rule of mixture. Two types of symmetric carbon nanotubes (CNTs) volume fraction profiles are presented in this paper. The equations of motion and related boundary conditions are derived using the Hamilton's principle. A semi-analytical solution composed of generalized differential quadrature (GDQ) method, as an efficient and accurate numerical method, and series solution is adopted to solve the equations of motions. The primary contribution of the present work is to provide a comparative study of the natural frequencies obtained by extended rule of mixture and Eshelby-Mori-Tanaka method. The detailed parametric studies are carried out to study the influences various types of the CNTs volume fraction profiles, geometrical parameters and CNTs volume fraction on the free vibration characteristics of FGCNTR plates. The results reveal that the prediction methods of effective material properties have an insignificant influence of the variation of the frequency parameters with the plate aspect ratio and the CNTs volume fraction.     

Nonlinear free vibrations of curved double walled carbon nanotubes using differential quadrature method

Nonlinear free vibration analysis of curved double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWNTs) embedded in an elastic medium is studied in this study. Nonlinearities considered are due to large deflection of carbon nanotubes (geometric nonlinearity) and nonlinear interlayer van der Waals forces between inner and outer tubes. The differential quadrature method (DQM) is utilized to discretize the partial differential equations of motion in spatial domain, which resulted in a nonlinear set of algebraic equations of motion. The effect of nonlinearities, different end conditions, initial curvature, and stiffness of the surrounding elastic medium, and vibrational modes on the nonlinear free vibration of DWCNTs is studied. Results show that it is possible to detect different vibration modes occurring at a single vibration frequency when CNTs vibrate in the out-of-phase vibration mode. Moreover, it is observed that boundary conditions have significant effect on the nonlinear natural frequencies of the DWCNT including multiple solutions.     

Multi-scale bending,buckling and vibration analyses of carbon fiber/carbon nanotube-reinforced polymer nanocomposite plates with various shapes

Using a finite element-based multi-scale modeling approach, the bending, buckling and free vibration of hybrid polymer matrix composites reinforced by carbon fibers and carbon nanotubes (CF/CNT-RP) are analyzed herein. Thick composite plates with rectangular, circular, annular and elliptical shapes are considered. First, the equivalent material properties of CF/CNT-RP are calculated for different volume fractions of CF and CNT. To accomplish this aim, a two-step procedure is presented through which the coupled effects of nano- and micro-scale are taken into account. In the first step, modeling of dispersion of CNTs into the polymer matrix is done with considering interphase formed by their chemical interaction with the matrix, and the equivalent properties of resulting composite material are determined accordingly. CFs are then dispersed into CNT-RP which is considered a homogenous material in this step. Both distributions of CNTs and CFs are assumed to be random. After computing the equivalent properties of CF/CNT-RP for different volume fractions of its constituents, the bending, buckling and free vibration analyses of plates with different shapes are performed. It is shown that the reinforcement of the polymer matrix with both CF and CNT significantly affects the bending, buckling and free vibration characteristics of plates.     

Natural frequencies and vibration modes of laminated composite plates reinforced with arbitrary curvilinear fiber shape paths

The development of tow-placement technology has made it possible to control fiber tows individually and place fibers in curvilinear distinct paths in each layer of a laminated plate. This paper presents an analytical method for determining natural frequencies and vibration modes of laminated plates having such curvilinear reinforcing fibers. Spline functions are employed to represent arbitrarily shaped fibers, and Ritz solutions are used to derive frequency equations using series type shape functions. The strain energy is evaluated by numerical integration involving the fiber orientation angle, and is calculated using the derivative of the spline function in minute intervals. The results show that the natural frequencies obtained by the present method agree well with results from finite element analyses. The vibration mode shape contour plots of the plates are seen to reflect clear influences of the fiber shapes.     

Closed-form solution for free vibration of piezoelectric coupled annular plates using Levinson plate theory

Free vibration analysis of annular moderately thick plates integrated with piezoelectric layers is investigated in this study for different combinations of soft simply supported, hard simply supported and clamped boundary conditions at the inner and outer edges of the annular plate on the basis of the Levinson plate theory (LPT). The distribution of electric potential along the thickness direction in the piezoelectric layer is assumed as a sinusoidal function so that the Maxwell static electricity equation is approximately satisfied. The differential equations of motion are solved analytically for various boundary conditions of the plate. In this study the closed-form solution for characteristic equations, displacement components of the plate and electric potential are derived for the first time in the literature. To demonstrate the accuracy of the present solution, comparison studies is first carried out with the available data in the literature and then natural frequencies of the piezoelectric coupled annular plate are presented for different thickness-radius ratios, inner-outer radius ratios, thickness of piezoelectric, material of piezoelectric and boundary conditions. Present analytical model provides design reference for piezoelectric material application, such as sensors, actuators and ultrasonic motors.     

Active vibration suppression of multilayered plates integrated with piezoelectric fiber reinforced composites using an efficient finite element model

The active vibration suppression of hybrid composite and fiber metal laminate (FML) plates integrated with piezoelectric fiber reinforced composite (PFRC) sensors and actuators is studied for the first time, using an efficient and advanced layerwise plate theory. Unlike the conventional finite elements, the equipotential condition of electroded surfaces of sensors is satisfied exactly and conveniently using a novel concept of electric node. The effective electromechanical properties of the PFRC laminas are computed using a coupled three-dimensional iso-field micromechanical model. Numerical results are presented for both classical constant gain velocity feedback (CGVF) and optimal control strategies. The instability phenomena in CGVF control with conventionally collocated actuator-sensor pairs, and its remedy with a truly collocated arrangement are illustrated. The effect of segmentation of electrodes on the control response is studied. The segmentation of electrodes leads to a multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) configuration. The effects of piezoelectric fiber orientation, volume fraction and dielectric ratio of PFRC on the control response and the actuation/sensing authority are investigated for cantilever and simply supported plates.     

Structural-acoustic coupling effect on the nonlinear natural frequency of a rectangular box with one flexible plate

The nonlinear natural frequency of a rectangular box, which consists of one flexible plate and five rigid plates, is studied in this paper. The flexible plate is assumed to vibrate like a simple piston. The behavior of the structural-acoustic coupling between the flexible plate and the air cavity is analyzed by using the proposed finite element modal method. The system finite element equation is reduced and expressed in terms of the modal coordinates with small degrees of freedom by using the proposed reduction method. The system nonlinear stiffness matrix representing the large amplitude vibration can be transformed to be a constant modal matrix. The natural frequencies are determined by using the harmonic balance method to solve the eigenvalue equations of the structural-acoustic system. The effect of the cavity depth on the natural frequencies and convergence studies are discussed in detail.     

Nonlinear dynamics of bi-layered graphene sheet,double-walled carbon nanotube and nanotube bundle

Due to strong van der Waals (vdW) interactions, the graphene sheets and nanotubes stick to each other and form clusters of these corresponding nanostructures, viz. bi-layered graphene sheet (BLGS), double-walled carbon nanotube (DWCNT) and nanotube bundle (NB) or ropes. This research work is concerned with the study of nonlinear dynamics of BLGS, DWCNT and NB due to nonlinear interlayer vdW forces using multiscale atomistic finite element method. The energy between two adjacent carbon atoms is represented by the multibody interatomic Tersoff–Brenner potential, whereas the nonlinear interlayer vdW forces are represented by Lennard-Jones 6–12 potential function. The equivalent nonlinear material model of carbon–carbon bond is used to model it based on its force–deflection relation. Newmark’s algorithm is used to solve the nonlinear matrix equation governing the motion of the BLGS, DWCNT and NB. An impulse and harmonic excitations are used to excite these nanostructures under cantilevered, bridged and clamped boundary conditions. The frequency responses of these nanostructures are computed, and the dominant resonant frequencies are identified. Along with the forced vibration of these structures, the eigenvalue extraction problem of armchair and zigzag NB is also considered. The natural frequencies and corresponding mode shapes are extracted for the different length and boundary conditions of the nanotube bundle.     

Dynamic response of composite plates with cut-outs,part I: Simply-supported plates

The effect of square cut-outs on the natural frequencies of square, simply-supported composite plates is investigated. The forced and free dynamic response of plates with cut-outs is formulated. Laminations are assumed to be symmetric about the mid-plane and the plates are considered analytically as homogeneous anisotropic plates. In the method of solution it is assumed that the effect of the cut-out is equivalent to an external loading on the plate. For free vibration, the method leads to an infinite system of frequency equations. Depending upon the accuracy required, a suitable size of the system of frequency equations is selected. Results are given for square, simply-supported composite plates with centrally located square cut-outs for different modulus ratios. A comparison of results obtained from this method for isotropic plates with cut-outs with available literature is made and excellent agreement is obtained.     

Nonlinear dynamic response and active vibration control for piezoelectric functionally graded plate

The nonlinear dynamic response and active vibration control of the piezoelectric functionally graded plate are analyzed in this paper. Based on higher-order shear plate theory and elastic piezoelectric theory, the nonlinear geometric and constitutive relations of the piezoelectric functionally graded plate are established, and then the nonlinear motion equations of the piezoelectric functionally graded plate are obtained through Hamilton's variational principle. The nonlinear active vibration control of the structure is carried out with adoption of the negative velocity feedback control algorithm. By applying finite difference method, the whole problem is solved by using iterative method synthetically. In numerical examples, the effects of mechanical load, electric load, the volume fraction and the geometric parameters on the dynamic response and vibration control of the piezoelectric FGM plate are investigated.     

Geometrically nonlinear vibrations of rectangular plates carrying a concentrated mass

Nonlinear forced vibrations of rectangular plates carrying a central concentrated mass are studied. The plate is assumed to have immovable edges and rotational springs; numerical results are presented for clamped plates. The Von Kármán nonlinear plate theory is used, but in-plane inertia in both the plate and the mass is retrained. The problem is discretized into a multi-degree-of-freedom (dof) system by using an energy approach and Lagrange equations taking damping into account. A pseudo-arclength continuation method is used in order to obtain numerical solutions. Results are presented as both (i) frequency-amplitude curves and (ii) time domain responses. The effect of gravity and the effect of the consequent initial plate deflection are also investigated.     

FREE VIBRATIONS OF SIMPLY SUPPORTED AND MULTILAYERED MAGNETO-ELECTRO-ELASTIC PLATES

Analytical solutions are derived for free vibrations of three-dimensional, linear anisotropic, magneto-electro-elastic, and multilayered rectangular plates under simply supported edge conditions. For any homogeneous layer, we construct the general solution in terms of a simple formalism that resembles the Stroh formalism, from which any physical quantities can be solved for given boundary conditions. In particular, the dispersion equation that characterizes the relationship between the natural frequency and wavenumber can be obtained in a simple form. For multilayered plates, we derive the dispersion relation in terms of the propagator matrices. The present solution includes all previous solutions, such as piezoelectric, piezomagnetic, and purely elastic solutions as special cases, and can serve as benchmarks to various thick plate theories and numerical methods used for the modelling of layered composite structures. Typical natural frequencies and mode shapes are presented for sandwich piezoelectric/piezomagnetic plates. It is shown clearly that some of the modes are purely elastic while others are fully coupled with piezoelectric/piezomagnetic quantities, with the latter depending strongly upon the material property and stacking sequence. These frequency and mode shape features could be of particular interest to the analysis and design of various “smart” sensors/actuators constructed from magneto-electro-elastic composite laminates.     

Vibrations of carbon nanotube-reinforced composites

This work deals with a study of the vibrational properties of carbon nanotube-reinforced composites by employing an equivalent continuum model based on the Eshelby-Mori-Tanaka approach. The theory allows the calculation of the effective constitutive law of the elastic isotropic medium (matrix) with dispersed elastic inhomogeneities (carbon nanotubes). The devised computational approach is shown to yield predictions in good agreement with the experimentally obtained elastic moduli of composites reinforced with uniformly aligned single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The primary contribution of the present work deals with the global elastic modal properties of nano-structured composite plates. The investigated composite plates are made of a purely isotropic elastic hosting matrix of three different types (epoxy, rubber, and concrete) with embedded single-walled CNTs. The computations are carried out via a finite element (FE) discretization of the composite plates. The effects of the CNT alignment and volume fraction are studied in depth to assess how the modal properties are influenced both globally and locally. As a major outcome, the lowest natural frequencies of CNT-reinforced rubber composites are shown to increase up to 500 percent.     

径向极化压电陶瓷长圆管复合超声换能器的径向振动

提出了一种圆管式径向复合压电陶瓷换能器,并对其径向振动特性进行了分析。该换能器由径向极化的压电陶瓷圆管以及金属外圆管组成。利用解析法得出了金属圆管以及具有任意壁厚的径向极化压电陶瓷圆管径向振动的机电等效电路。基于金属圆管与压电圆管的机械边界条件,得出了换能器的六端机电等效电路。在此基础上得出了换能器共振及反共振频率方程的解析表达式,给出了换能器的共振及反共振频率与其几何尺寸之间的依赖关系。利用数值方法对换能器的径向振动特性进行了模拟及仿真,并与解析结果进行了比较。最后,设计并加工了一些径向复合管式压电陶瓷换能器,利用精密阻抗分析仪对其共振及反共振频率进行了实验测试。研究结果表明,利用解析理论得出的换能器共振及反共振频率与数值模拟结果以及实验测试结果符合很好。      

Modeling and analysis of laminate composite plates with embedded active-passive piezoelectric networks

The objective of this work is to present the finite element modeling of laminate composite plates with embedded piezoelectric patches or layers that are then connected to active-passive resonant shunt circuits, composed of resistance, inductance and voltage source. Applications to passive vibration control and active control authority enhancement are also presented and discussed. The finite element model is based on an equivalent single layer theory combined with a third-order shear deformation theory. A stress-voltage electromechanical model is considered for the piezoelectric materials fully coupled to the electrical circuits. To this end, the electrical circuit equations are also included in the variational formulation. Hence, conservation of charge and full electromechanical coupling are guaranteed. The formulation results in a coupled finite element model with mechanical (displacements) and electrical (charges at electrodes) degrees of freedom. For a Graphite-Epoxy (Carbon-Fibre Reinforced) laminate composite plate, a parametric analysis is performed to evaluate optimal locations along the plate plane (xy) and thickness (z) that maximize the effective modal electromechanical coupling coefficient. Then, the passive vibration control performance is evaluated for a network of optimally located shunted piezoelectric patches embedded in the plate, through the design of resistance and inductance values of each circuit, to reduce the vibration amplitude of the first four vibration modes. A vibration amplitude reduction of at least 10 dB for all vibration modes was observed. Then, an analysis of the control authority enhancement due to the resonant shunt circuit, when the piezoelectric patches are used as actuators, is performed. It is shown that the control authority can indeed be improved near a selected resonance even with multiple pairs of piezoelectric patches and active-passive circuits acting simultaneously.     

Aero-thermo-mechanical characteristics of imperfect shape memory alloy hybrid composite panels

A nonlinear finite element model is provided to predict the static aero-thermal deflection and the vibration behavior of geometrically imperfect shape memory alloy hybrid composite panels under the combined effect of thermal and aerodynamic loads. The nonlinear governing equations are obtained using Marguerre curved plate theory and the principle of virtual work taking into account the temperature-dependence of material properties. The effect of large deflection is included in the formulation through the von Karman nonlinear strain-displacement relations. The thermal load is assumed to be a steady-state constant-temperature distribution, whereas the aerodynamic pressure is modeled using the quasi-steady first-order piston theory. The Newton-Raphson iteration method is employed to obtain the nonlinear aero-thermal deflections, while an eigenvalue problem is solved at each temperature step and static aerodynamic load to predict the free vibration frequencies about the deflected equilibrium position. Finally, the nonlinear deflection and free vibration characteristics of a composite panel are presented, illustrating the effects of geometric imperfection, temperature rise, aerodynamic pressure, boundary conditions and shape memory alloy fiber embeddings on the panel response.     

Free vibrations of laminated composite cylindrical shells with an interior rectangular plate

The free vibration analysis of a laminated composite cylindrical shell with an interior rectangular plate is performed by the analytical and experimental methods. The frequency equations of vibration of the shell including the plate are formulated by using the receptance method. To obtain the free vibration characteristics before the combination of two structures, the energy principle based on the classical plate theory and Love's thin shell theory is adopted. The numerical results are compared with the results from an experiment, as well as a finite element analysis, to validate the current formulation. The influences of the length-to-radius ratio (L_S/a) and radius-to-thickness ratio (a/h_S) of the shell and fiber orientation angles (Θ) of symmetric cross- and angle-ply composite materials on the natural frequencies of a cylindrical laminated combined shell are also discussed in details.     

Multi-frequency excitation of stiffened triangular plates for large amplitude oscillations

Free and forced vibrations of triangular plate are investigated. Diverse types of stiffeners were attached onto the plate to suppress the undesirable large-amplitude oscillations. The governing equation of motion for a triangular plate, based on the von Kármán theory, is developed and the nonlinear ordinary differential equation of the system using Galerkin approach is obtained. Closed-form expressions for the free undamped and large-amplitude vibration of an orthotropic triangular elastic plate are presented using the two well-known analytical methods, namely, the energy balance method and the variational approach. The frequency responses in the closed-form are presented and their sensitivities with respect to the initial amplitudes are studied. An error analysis is performed and the vibration behavior, as well as the accuracy of the solution methods, is evaluated. Different types of the stiffened triangular plates are considered in order to cover a wide range of practical applications. Numerical simulations are carried out and the validity of the solution procedure is explored. It is demonstrated that the two methods of energy balance and variational approach have been quite straightforward and reliable techniques to solve those nonlinear differential equations. Subsequently, due to the importance of multiple resonant responses in engineering design, multi-frequency excitations are considered. It is assumed that three periodic forces are applied to the plate in three specific positions. The multiple time scaling method is utilized to obtain approximate solutions for the frequency resonance cases. Influences of different parameters, namely, the position of applied forces, geometry and the number of stiffeners on the frequency response of the triangular plates are examined.     

Free vibration of nonlocal piezoelectric nanoplates under various boundary conditions

This paper investigates the thermo-electro-mechanical vibration of the rectangular piezoelectric nanoplate under various boundary conditions based on the nonlocal theory and the Mindlin plate theory. It is assumed that the piezoelectric nanoplate is subjected to a biaxial force, an external electric voltage and a uniform temperature rise. The Hamilton's principle is employed to derive the governing equations and boundary conditions, which are then discretized by using the differential quadrature (DQ) method to determine the natural frequencies and mode shapes. The detailed parametric study is conducted to examine the effect of the nonlocal parameter, thermo-electro-mechanical loadings, boundary conditions, aspect ratio and side-to-thickness ratio on the vibration behaviors.