Free vibration analysis of FG carbon nanotube reinforced composite plates using dynamic stiffness method

This paper analytically investigates the free vibration analysis of functionally graded-carbon nanotube reinforced composite (FG-CNTRC) plates by dynamic stiffness method (DSM). The properties of CNTRC are determined with the extended rule of mixture. The governing differential equations of motion based on the first-order shear deformation theory of CNTRC plate are derived using Hamilton's principle. The FG-CNTRC plates are studied for a uniform and two different distributions of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The accuracy and performance of the DSM are compared with the results obtained from closed closed-form and semi-analytical solution methods in previous studies. In this study, the effects of boundary condition, distribution type of CNTs, plate aspect ratio, plate length to thickness ratio, and different values of CNTs volume fraction on the natural frequencies of the FG-CNTRC plates are investigated. Finally, various natural frequencies of the plates in different conditions are provided as a benchmark for comparing the accuracy and precision of the other analytical and numerical methods.