Nonlocal Buckling Analysis of Composite Curved Beams Reinforced with Functionally Graded Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

This work deals with the size-dependent buckling response of functionally graded carbon nanotube-reinforced composite (FG-CNTRC) (FG-CNTRC) curved beams based on a higher-order shear deformation beam theory in conjunction with the Eringen Nonlocal Differential Model (ENDM). The material properties were estimated using the rule of mixtures. The Hamiltonian principle was employed to derive the governing equations of the problem which were, in turn, solved via the Galerkin method to obtain the critical buckling load of FG-CNTRC curved beams with different boundary conditions. A detailed parametric study was carried out to investigate the influence of the nonlocal parameter, CNTs volume fraction, opening angle, slenderness ratio, and boundary conditions on the mechanical buckling characteristics of FG-CNTRC curved beams. A large parametric investigation was performed on the mechanical buckling behavior of FG-CNTRC curved beams, which included different CNT distribution schemes, as useful for design purposes in many practical engineering applications.