Vibration response of carbon nanotube-reinforced truncated conical shells under axial loading and internal pressure at elevated temperatures

This study investigates the vibration behavior of carbon nanotube (CNT)-reinforced truncated conical shells subjected to axial loading and internal pressure under elevated temperature conditions. The mechanical properties of the nanocomposite shell are modeled by considering different CNT distribution patterns, including FG V, FG A, FG X, FG O, and uniform distribution (UD). A theoretical formulation based on the first order shear deformation theory is developed to evaluate the vibration characteristics of the structure while accounting for the coupled effects of axial load, internal pressure, and temperature rise. The novelty of the present work lies in the comprehensive investigation of thermo mechanical loading on CNT reinforced truncated conical shells with various functional grading patterns. The results show that the natural frequency increases with increasing axial load, whereas temperature rise leads to a significant reduction in the natural frequency due to the degradation of effective thermo mechanical properties. In addition, the distribution pattern of CNTs plays an important role in controlling the stiffness and vibration response of the shell structure.