An analytical approach on nonlinear mechanical and thermal post-buckling of nanocomposite double-curved shallow shells reinforced by carbon nanotubes

Abstract

This work presents the nonlinear mechanical and thermal post-buckling of nanocomposite double-curved shallow shells reinforced by single-walled carbon nanotubes resting on elastic foundations based on the higher order shear deformation theory with geometrical nonlinearity in von Karman–Donnell sense. The composite shells are made of various amorphous polymer matrices: poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and poly{(m-phenylenevinylene)-co-[(2,5-dioctoxy-p-phenylene) vinylene]} (PmPV). The governing equations are solved by the Galerkin method and Airy's stress function to achieve mechanical and thermal post-buckling behaviors of nanocomposite double-curved shallow shells. Various types of distributions of carbon nanotubes, both uniform distributions, and functionally graded distributions are examined. The material properties of nanocomposite double-curved shallow shells are assumed to be temperature dependent. Detailed parametric studies are carried out on the effect of various types of distribution and volume fractions of carbon nanotubes, temperature increments, elastic foundations, edge to radius and edge to thickness ratios on the nonlinear mechanical and thermal post-buckling of nanocomposite double-curved shallow shells reinforced by CNTs.