Thermal Stability Analysis of Three-Phase CNTRFC Cylindrical Shell Panels

Abstract

The linear and non-linear thermal stability characteristics of three-phase randomly distributed carbon nanotube (CNT)–reinforced fiber composite (RD-CNTRFC) shell panels are explored in the present study. Nonlinear kinematics for shell panels are expressed based on higher-order shear deformation theory (HSDT) and von-Kármán non-linearity. Effective properties of the RD-CNTRFC are computed in two stages: The first stage estimates the effective properties of the matrix reinforced with randomly distributed carbon nanotubes (i.e., hybrid matrix) using the Eshelby-Mori-Tanaka approach, and the second stage estimates the effective properties of a hybrid matrix reinforced with unidirectional fibers by adopting various homogenization techniques. Effective material properties of composite are considered to be temperature-dependent. Hamilton’s principle is employed to derive the governing partial differential equations (PDEs) by utilizing kinematic and constitutive model of the RD-CNTRFC shell panels. Then, Galerkin’s method reduces the PDEs into nonlinear algebraic equations. An iterative eigenvalue approach is used to estimate the stability characteristics of the RD-CNTRFC panels. The present investigation is initially verified by comparison with published results. Next, numerical results are presented in detail to understand the influence of CNT agglomeration, temperature-dependent properties, mass fraction, aspect ratio, and ply sequences on the thermal stability characteristics.