Thermal free vibration behavior of FG‐CNT reinforced sandwich curved panel using finite element method

In this article, the vibration characteristics of carbon nanotube reinforced sandwich curved shell panel are investigated under the elevated thermal environment. The sandwich panel component (face and core layer) properties are assumed to be temperature‐dependent including various distribution of the carbon nanotube for the face sheets of the sandwich structure. The sandwich structural behavior has been modeled mathematically using the higher‐order shear deformation theory. The governing differential equation of motion of the free vibrated sandwich panel is obtained using the classical Hamilton's principle and transformed to the set of algebraic form with the help of suitable finite element steps. Further, fundamental frequencies of the curved sandwich shell panel are obtained numerically by means of a generalized computer code developed in MATLAB with the help of the present higher‐order mathematical model. The accuracy and the stability of the present numerical results have been checked through the proper convergence test. The model is again extended to work out the frequency responses for few more cases and compared with those available published results including the simulation responses (ANSYS). Finally, a wide variety of numerical examples have been solved for various design parameters (volume fraction of CNT, core to face thickness ratios, length to thickness ratios, aspect ratios, support conditions, curvature ratios, and types of grading) of CNT sandwich curved panel and underlined their effects in details under the uniform thermal load. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:2751–2764, 2018. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers