• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.649-662
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• 2018

In this study, based on the three-dimensional theory of elasticity, free vibration characteristics of sandwich sectorial plates with multiwalled carbon nanotube-(MWCNT)-reinforced composite core are considered. Modified Halpin-Tsai equation is used to evaluate the Young's modulus of the MWCNT/epoxy composite samples by the incorporation of an orientation as well as an exponential shape factor in the equation. The exponential shape factor modifies the Halpin-Tsai equation from expressing a straight line to a nonlinear one in the MWCNTs wt% range considered. In this paper, free vibration of thick functionally graded sandwich annular sectorial plates with simply supported radial edges and different circular edge conditions including simply supported-clamped, clamped-clamped, and free-clamped is investigated. A semi-analytical approach composed of two-dimensional differential quadrature method and series solution are adopted to solve the equations of motion. The material properties change continuously through the core thickness of the plate, which can vary according to a power-law, exponentially, or any other formulations in this direction. This study serves as a benchmark for assessing the validity of numerical methods or two-dimensional theories used to analysis of laminated sectorial plates.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.37-49
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• 2020

In this paper, free vibration finite element analysis of axially moving laminated composite beams subjected to axial tension is studied. It is assumed that the beam has a constant axial velocity and is subject to uniform axial tension. The analysis is based on higher-order theories that have been presented by Carrera Unified Formulation (CUF). In the CUF technique, the three dimensional (3D) displacement fields are expressed as the approximation of the arbitrary order of the displacement unknowns over the cross-section. This higher-order expansion is considered in equivalent single layer (ESL) model. The governing equations of motion are obtained via Hamilton's principle. Finally, several numerical examples are presented and the effect of the ply-angle, travelling speed and axial tension on the natural frequencies and beam stability are demonstrated.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.1259-1277
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• 2015

In this work, a trigonometric refined beam theory for the bending, buckling and free vibration analysis of carbon nanotube-reinforced composite (CNTRC) beams resting on elastic foundation is developed. The significant feature of this model is that, in addition to including the shear deformation effect, it deals with only 3 unknowns as the Timoshenko beam (TBM) without including a shear correction factor. The single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are aligned and distributed in polymeric matrix with different patterns of reinforcement. The material properties of the CNTRC beams are assessed by employing the rule of mixture. To examine accuracy of the present theory, several comparison studies are investigated. Furthermore, the effects of different parameters of the beam on the bending, buckling and free vibration responses of CNTRC beam are discussed.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.349-360
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• 2010

Three dimensional free vibrations analysis of functionally graded fiber reinforced cylindrical shell is presented, using differential quadrature method (DQM). The cylindrical shell is assumed to have continuous grading of fiber volume fraction in the radial direction. Suitable displacement functions are used to reduce the equilibrium equations to a set of coupled ordinary differential equations with variable coefficients, which can be solved by differential quadrature method to obtain natural frequencies. The main contribution of this work is presenting useful results for continuous grading of fiber reinforcement in the thickness direction of a cylindrical shell and comparison with similar discrete laminate composite ones. Results indicate that significant improvement is found in natural frequency of a functionally graded fiber reinforced cylinder due to the reduction in spatial mismatch of material properties and natural frequency.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.493-508
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• 2018

Free vibration analysis of super-elliptical composite thin plates was investigated. Plate is formed by symmetrical quasi-isotropic laminates. Rayleigh-Ritz method was used for parametric analysis based on the governing differential equations of Classical Laminated Plate Theory (CLPT). Simply supported and clamped boundary conditions at the periphery of plates were considered. Parametric study was performed for the effect of different lamination type, aspect ratio, thickness and super-elliptical power on natural frequencies. Convergence study and validation of isotropic case were achieved. A number of design parameters like different dimensions, structure systems, panel sizes, panel thicknesses, lamination sequences, boundary conditions and loading conditions must be considered in the production of composite ships. The number of possible combinations practically may be so high that a parametric study should be carried out in order to determine the optimum design parameters rapidly during the preliminary design stage. The use of Rayleigh-Ritz method could make this parametric study possible. Thereby it might be decreasing the consumption of time, material and labor. Certain results for some different super-elliptical powers presented in tabulated form in Appendix for designers as well.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.403-432
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• 2019

Axially functionally graded (AFG) beams are a new class of composite structures that have continuous variations in material and/or geometrical parameters along the axial direction. In this study, the exact analytical solutions for the free vibration of AFG and uniform beams with general elastic supports are obtained by using Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. The elastic supports are modeled with linear rotational and lateral translational springs. Moreover, the material and/or geometrical properties of the AFG beams are assumed to vary continuously and together along the length of the beam according to the power-law forms. Accordingly, the accuracy, efficiency and capability of the proposed formulations are demonstrated by comparing the responses of the numerical examples with the available solutions. In the following, the effects of the elastic end restraints and AFG parameters, namely, gradient index and gradient coefficient, on the values of the first three natural frequencies of the AFG and uniform beams are investigated comprehensively. The analytical solutions are presented in tabular and graphical forms and can be used as the benchmark solutions. Furthermore, the results presented herein can be utilized for design of inhomogeneous beams with various supporting conditions.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.473-487
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• 2019

A shear-deformable finite element model (FEM) with five nodes and thirteen degrees of freedom (DOFs) for free vibrations of laminated composite beams with arbitrary lay-up is presented. This model can be capable of considering the elastic couplings among the extensional, bending and torsional deformations, and the Poisson's effect. Lagrange's principle is employed in derivation of the equations of motion, and thus the element matrices are obtained. Comparisons of the present element's results with those in experiment, available literature and the 3D finite element analysis software (ANSYS(R)) are made to show its accuracy. Some further results are given as referencing for the future studies in vibrations of laminated composite beamst.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.509-519
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• 2019

In this paper, an analytical approach for the free vibration analysis of spiral stiffened functionally graded (SSFG) cylindrical shells is investigated. The SSFG shell is resting on linear and non-linear elastic foundation with damping force. The elastic foundation for the linear model is according to Winkler and Pasternak parameters and for the non-linear model, one cubic term is added. The material constitutive of the stiffeners is continuously changed through the thickness. Using the Galerkin method based on the von $K\acute{a}rm\acute{a}n$ equations and the smeared stiffeners technique, the non-linear vibration problem has been solved. The effects of different geometrical and material parameters on the free vibration response of SSFG cylindrical shells are adopted. The results show that the angles of stiffeners and elastic foundation parameters strongly effect on the natural frequencies of the SSFG cylindrical shell.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.637-647
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• 2023

Nonlinear free vibration and stability responses of a carbon nanotube reinforced composite beam under temperature rising are investigated in this paper. The material of the beam is considered as a polymeric matrix by reinforced the single-walled carbon nanotubes according to different distributions with temperature-dependent physical properties. With using the Hamilton's principle, the governing nonlinear partial differential equation is derived based on the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. In the nonlinear kinematic assumption, the Von Kármán nonlinearity is used. The Galerkin's decomposition technique is utilized to discretize the governing nonlinear partial differential equation to nonlinear ordinary differential equation and then is solved by using of multiple time scale method. The critical buckling temperatures, the nonlinear natural frequencies and the nonlinear free response of the system is obtained. The effect of different patterns of reinforcement on the critical buckling temperature, nonlinear natural frequency, nonlinear free response and phase plane trajectory of the carbon nanotube reinforced composite beam investigated with temperature-dependent physical property.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.335-344
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• 2023

This investigation presents nonlinear free vibration of a carbon nanotube reinforced composite beam based on the Von Kármán nonlinearity and the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory The material properties of the structure is considered as made of a polymeric matrix by reinforced carbon nanotubes according to different material distributions. The governing equations of the nonlinear vibration problem is delivered by using Hamilton's principle and the Galerkin's decomposition technique is utilized to discretize the governing nonlinear partial differential equation to nonlinear ordinary differential equation and then is solved by using of multiple time scale method. The nonlinear natural frequency and the nonlinear free response of the system is obtained with the effect of different patterns of reinforcement.