Active Vibration Control of a Functionally Graded Carbon Nanotube-Reinforced Composite Beam Subjected to Follower Force

The flutter vibration of a functionally graded carbon nanotube-reinforced composite (FG-CNTRC) beam subjected to a follower force has been studied in this paper; in addition, by using an inverse dynamics controller, the flutter vibrations of the beam have been suppressed. The material properties of the composite beam which are graded in the thickness direction of it are estimated through the rule of mixture. According to Euler–Bernoulli beam theory, the Lagrange–Rayleigh–Ritz technique has been employed to derive the governing equations of the FG-CNTRC beam. The attached piezoelectric layers have been considered as actuators and sensors. The beam is assumed fixed from one end, and free at the other end. The effects of the system parameters, such as volume fraction, distribution patterns of the carbon nanotubes, the magnitude of the mechanical load (follower force), and the length of the piezoelectric layers on the stability of the FG-CNTRC beam structure, and controller efficiency are investigated.