• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• 제71권6호
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• pp.627-641
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• 2019

The paper focuses on bending analysis of the functionally graded (FG) plates with arbitrary shapes and boundary conditions. The material property of FG plates is modelled by using the power law distribution. Based on the first order shear deformation plate theory (FSDT), the governing equations as well as boundary conditions are formulated and obtained by using the principle of virtual work. The coupled Boundary Element-Radial Basis Function (BE-RBF) method is established to solve the complex FG plates. The proposed methodology is developed by applying the concept of the analog equation method (AEM). According to the AEM, the original governing differential equations are replaced by three Poisson equations with fictitious sources under the same boundary conditions. Then, the fictitious sources are established by the application of a technique based on the boundary element method and approximated by using the radial basis functions. The solution of the actual problem is attained from the known integral representations of the potential problem. Therefore, the kernels of the boundary integral equations are conveniently evaluated and readily determined, so that the complex FG plates can be easily computed. The reliability of the proposed method is evaluated by comparing the present results with those from analytical solutions. The effects of the power index, the length to thickness ratio and the modulus ratio on the bending responses are investigated. Finally, many interesting features and results obtained from the analysis of the FG plates with arbitrary shapes and boundary conditions are demonstrated.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• 제29권6호
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• pp.785-802
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• 2018

In this paper, two different computational methods, called Rayleigh-Ritz and collocation are developed to estimate the ultimate strength of composite plates. Progressive damage behavior of moderately thick composite laminated plates is studied under in-plane compressive load and uniform lateral pressure. The formulations of both methods are based on the concept of the principle of minimum potential energy. First order shear deformation theory and the assumption of large deflections are used to develop the equilibrium equations of laminated plates. Therefore, Newton-Raphson technique will be used to solve the obtained system of nonlinear algebraic equations. In Rayleigh-Ritz method, two degradation models called complete and region degradation models are used to estimate the degradation zone around the failure location. In the second method, a new energy based collocation technique is introduced in which the domain of the plate is discretized into the Legendre-Gauss-Lobatto points. In this new method, in addition to the two previous models, the new model named node degradation model will also be used in which the material properties of the area just around the failed node are reduced. To predict the failure location, Hashin failure criteria have been used and the corresponding material properties of the failed zone are reduced instantaneously. Approximation of the displacement fields is performed by suitable harmonic functions in the Rayleigh-Ritz method and by Legendre basis functions (LBFs) in the second method. Finally, the results will be calculated and discussions will be conducted on the methods.

• Advances in nano research
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.151-163
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• 2021

The main target of this study is to investigate nonlinear transient responses of moving polymer nano-size plates fortified by means of Graphene Platelets (GPLs) and resting on a Winkler-Pasternak foundation under a transverse pressure force and a temperature variation. Two graphene spreading forms dispersed through the plate thickness are studied, and the Halpin-Tsai micro-mechanics model is used to obtain the effective Young's modulus. Furthermore, the rule of mixture is employed to calculate the effective mass density and Poisson's ratio. In accordance with the first order shear deformation and von Karman theory for nonlinear systems, the kinematic equations are derived, and then nonlocal strain gradient scheme is used to reflect the effects of nonlocal and strain gradient parameters on small-size objects. Afterwards, a combined approach, kinetic dynamic relaxation method accompanied by Newmark technique, is hired for solving the time-varying equation sets, and Fortran program is developed to generate the numerical results. The accuracy of the current model is verified by comparative studies with available results in the literature. Finally, a parametric study is carried out to explore the effects of GPL's weight fractions and dispersion patterns, edge conditions, softening and hardening factors, the temperature change, the velocity of moving nanoplate and elastic foundation stiffness on the dynamic response of the structure. The result illustrates that the effects of nonlocality and strain gradient parameters are more remarkable in the higher magnitudes of the nanoplate speed.

• Advances in nano research
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.127-140
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• 2024

Upon direct/indirect exposure to flame or heat, composite structures may burn or thermally buckle. This issue becomes more important in the natural fiber-based composite structures with higher flammability and lower mechanical properties. The main goal of the present study was to obtain an optimal eco-friendly composite system with low flammability and high thermal buckling resistance. The studied composite consisted of polypropylene (PP) and short abaca fiber (AF) with eggshell powder (ESP) and halloysite clay nanotubes (HNTs) additives. An optimal base composite, consisting of 30 wt.% AF and 70 wt.% PP, abbreviated as OAP, was initially introduced based on burning rate (BR) and the Young's modulus determined by horizontal burning test (HBT) and tensile test, respectively. The effects of adding ESP to the base composite were then investigated with the same experimental tests. The results indicated that though the BR significantly decreased with the increase of ESP content up to 6 wt.%, it had a very destructive influence on the stiffness of the composite. To compensate for the damaging effect of ESP, small amount of HNT was used. The performance of OAP composite with 6 wt.% ESP and 3 wt.% HNT (OAPEH) was explored by conducting HBT, cone calorimeter test (CCT) and tensile test. The experimental results indicated a 9~23 % reduction in almost all flammability parameters such as heat release rate (HRR), total heat released (THR), maximum average rate of heat emission (MARHE), total smoke released (TSR), total smoke production (TSP), and mass loss (ML) during combustion. Furthermore, the combination of 6 wt.% ESP and 3 wt.% HNT reduced the stiffness of OAP to an insignificant amount by maximum 3%. Moreover, the char residue analysis revealed the distinct differences in the formation of char between AF/PP and AF/PP/ESP/HNT composites. Afterward, dilatometry test was carried out to examine the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of OAP and OAPEH samples. The obtained results showed that the CTE of OAPEH composite was about 18% less than that of OAP. Finally, a theoretical model was used based on first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT) to predict the critical bucking temperatures of the OAP and OAPEH composite plates. It was shown that in the absence of mechanical load, the critical buckling temperatures of OAPEH composite plates were higher than those of OAP composites, such that the difference between the buckling temperatures increased with the increase of thickness. On the contrary, the positive effect of CTE reduction on the buckling temperature decreased by raising the axial compressive mechanical load on the composite plates which can be assigned to the reduction of stiffness after the incorporation of ESP. The results of present study generally stated that a suitable combination of AF, PP, ESP, and HNT can result in a relatively optimal and environmentally friendly composite with proper flame and thermal buckling resistance with no significant decline in the stiffness.