Advanced vibration characteristics of nanocomposite shell structures in landscape engineering design

This study aims to examine the complex vibration properties of three-layer nanocomposite cylindrical sandwich shell structures that can be used for landscaping engineering design. This shell's composition includes a concrete core sandwiched between two nanoclay-reinforced composite face sheets, which enhance stiffness, damping capacity, and dynamic stability of the finished structure. Due to their lightweight properties coupled with their superior mechanical properties, nanocomposite sandwich shells offer additional benefits for sustainable landscaping infrastructure that is subjected to environmental and dynamic loading. The structural formulation used in this analysis is based upon the first-order shear deformation theory, which accounts for transverse shear effects in moderately thick shells, along with geometric nonlinearity resulting from large-amplitude deformation via the Von Kármán strain-displacement relations. The use of Hamilton's principle provides the basis for deriving the nonlinear governing equations and boundary conditions of the multilayer shell system analysis, while the application of a radial external force provides the ability to assess forced vibrations and nonlinear dynamic stability. Discretization of the nonlinear partial differential equations into ordinary differential equations is done, and these are solved numerically by means of a Runge-Kutta integration method to analyse nonlinear wave propagation, resonance characteristics, and the manner in which vibrations propagate through and under different excitation conditions, and varying geometries of shells and distributions of nanoclay reinforcement. Results indicate that nanoclay composite face sheets provide superior vibration suppression, provide a means for controlling the transmission of waves, and provide enhanced dynamic stability; thus, these types of shell structures are highly desirable for resilient and sustainable landscape engineering uses.