• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.295-306
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• 2020

This paper deals with free vibration analysis of non-uniform column resting on elastic foundations and subjected to follower force at its free end. The internal pores and graphene platelets (GPLs) are distributed in the matrix according to different patterns. The model is proposed with material parameters varying in the thickness of column to achieve graded distributions in both porosity and nanofillers. The elastic modulus of the nanocomposite is obtained by using Halpin-Tsai micromechanics model. The differential quadrature method as an efficient and accurate numerical approach is used to discretize the governing equations and to implement the boundary conditions. It is observed that the maximum vibration frequency obtained in the case of symmetric porosity and GPL distribution, while the minimum vibration frequency is obtained using uniform porosity distribution. Results show that for better understanding of mechanical behavior of nanocomposite column, it is crucial to consider porosities inside the material structure.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.711-731
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• 2020

This paper deals with free vibration of FG sandwich annular sector plates on Pasternak elastic foundation with different boundary conditions, based on the three-dimensional theory of elasticity. The plates with simply supported radial edges and arbitrary boundary conditions on their circular edges are considered. The influence of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) waviness, aspect ratio, internal pores and graphene platelets (GPLs) on the vibrational behavior of functionally graded nanocomposite sandwich plates is investigated in this research work. The distributions of CNTs are considered functionally graded (FG) or uniform along the thickness of upper and bottom layers of the sandwich sectorial plates and their mechanical properties are estimated by an extended rule of mixture. In this study, the classical theory concerning the mechanical efficiency of a matrix embedding finite length fibers has been modified by introducing the tube-to-tube random contact, which explicitly accounts for the progressive reduction of the tubes' effective aspect ratio as the filler content increases. The core of structure is porous and the internal pores and graphene platelets (GPLs) are distributed in the matrix of core either uniformly or non-uniformly according to three different patterns. The elastic properties of the nanocomposite are obtained by employing Halpin-Tsai micromechanics model. A semi-analytic approach composed of 2D-Generalized Differential Quadrature Method (2D-GDQM) and series solution is adopted to solve the equations of motion. The fast rate of convergence and accuracy of the method are investigated through the different solved examples. Some new results for the natural frequencies of the plate are prepared, which include the effects of elastic coefficients of foundation, boundary conditions, material and geometrical parameters. The new results can be used as benchmark solutions for future researches.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.215-226
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• 2020

The aim of this study is to investigate free vibration of functionally graded porous nanocomposite rectangular plates where the internal pores and graphene platelets (GPLs) are distributed in the matrix either uniformly or non-uniformly according to three different patterns. The elastic properties of the nanocomposite are obtained by employing Halpin-Tsai micromechanics model. The GPL-reinforced plate is modeled using a semi-analytic approach composed of generalized differential quadrature method (GDQM) and series solution adopted to solve the equations of motion. The proposed rectangular plates have two opposite edges simply supported, while all possible combinations of free, simply supported and clamped boundary conditions are applied to the other two edges. The 2-D differential quadrature method as an efficient and accurate numerical tool is used to discretize the governing equations and to implement the boundary conditions. The convergence of the method is demonstrated and to validate the results, comparisons are made between the present results and those reported by well-known references for special cases treated before, have confirmed accuracy and efficiency of the present approach. New results reveal the importance of porosity coefficient, porosity distribution, graphene platelets (GPLs) distribution, geometrical and boundary conditions on vibration behavior of porous nanocomposite plates. It is observed that the maximum vibration frequency obtained in the case of symmetric porosity and GPL distribution, while the minimum vibration frequency is obtained using uniform porosity distribution.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.239-252
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• 2016

Two-dimensional materials offer unique characteristics for membrane applications to water technology. With its atomic thickness, availability and stackability, graphene in particular is attracting attention in the research and industrial communities. Here, we present a brief overview of the recent research activities in this rising topic with bringing two membrane architecture into focus. Pristine graphene in single- and polycrystallinity poses a unique diffusion barrier property for most of chemical species at broad ambient conditions. If well designed and controlled, physical and chemical perforation can turn this barrier layer to a thinnest feasible membrane that permits ultimate permeation at given pore sizes. For subcontinuum pores, both molecular dynamics simulations and experiments predict potential salt rejection to envisage a seawater desalination application. Another novel membrane architecture is a stack of individual layers of 2D materials. When graphene-based platelets are chemically modified and stacked, the interplanar spacing forms a narrow transport pathway capable of separation of solvated ions from pure water. Bearing unbeknownst permeance and selectivity, both membrane architecture - ultrathin porous graphene and stacked platelets - offer a promising prospect for new extraordinary membranes for water technology applications.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.111-127
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• 2020

The goal of this study is to fill this apparent gap in the area about investigating the effect of porosity distributions on vibrational behavior of FG sectorial plates resting on a two-parameter elastic foundation. The response of the elastic medium is formulated by the Winkler/Pasternak model. The internal pores and graphene platelets (GPLs) are distributed in the matrix either uniformly or non-uniformly according to three different patterns. The model is proposed with material parameters varying in the thickness of plate to achieve graded distributions in both porosity and nanofillers. The elastic modulus of the nanocomposite is obtained by using Halpin-Tsai micromechanics model. The annular sector plate is assumed to be simply supported in the radial edges while any arbitrary boundary conditions are applied to the other two circular edges including simply supported, clamped and free. The 2-D differential quadrature method as an efficient and accurate numerical approach is used to discretize the governing equations and to implement the boundary conditions. The convergence of the method is demonstrated and to validate the results, comparisons are made between the present results and those reported by well-known references for special cases treated before, have confirmed accuracy and efficiency of the present approach. It is observed that the maximum vibration frequency obtained in the case of symmetric porosity and GPL distribution, while the minimum vibration frequency is obtained using uniform porosity distribution. Results show that for better understanding of mechanical behavior of nanocomposite plates, it is crucial to consider porosities inside the material structure.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.47-62
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• 2020

In this study, free vibration behavior of trapezoidal sandwich plates with porous core and two graphene platelets (GPLs) reinforced nanocomposite outer layers are presented. The distribution of pores and GPLs are supposed to be functionally graded (FG) along the thickness of core and nanocomposite layers, respectively. The effective Young's modulus of the GPL-reinforced (GPLR) nanocomposite layers is determined using the modified Halpin-Tsai micromechanics model, while the Poisson's ratio and density are computed by the rule of mixtures. The FSDT plate theory is utilized to establish governing partial differential equations and boundary conditions (B.C.s) for trapezoidal plate. The governing equations together with related B.C.s are discretized using a mapping- generalized differential quadrature (GDQ) method in the spatial domain. Then natural frequencies of the trapezoidal sandwich plates are obtained by GDQ method. Validity of current study is evaluated by comparing its numerical results with those available in the literature. A special attention is drawn to the role of GPLs weight fraction, GPLs patterns of two faces through the thickness, porosity coefficient and distribution of porosity on natural frequencies characteristics. New results show the importance of this permeates on vibrational characteristics of porous/GPLR nanocomposite plates. Finally, the influences of B.C.s and dimension as well as the plate geometry such as face to core thickness ratio on the vibration behaviors of the trapezoidal plates are discussed.