Three-dimensional isogeometric finite element solution method for the nonlinear thermal and thermomechanical bending analysis of laminated graphene platelet-reinforced composite plates with and without cutout

Abstract

In this paper, a new three-dimensional (3D) numerical solution method for analyzing the nonlinear flexural response behaviour of laminated graphene platelet (GPL)-reinforced composite plates in thermal or thermomechanical loading is presented. For this purpose, a 3D isogeometric finite element formulation for the thermal and thermomechanical bending analysis is established based on 3D elasticity theory into which the Green-Lagrange strain tensor is incorporated to take the geometric nonlinearity into account, and the 3D steady conduction of heat is considered as the thermal environment to reflect the real circumstance. The 3D isogeometric approach proposed, by replicating multiple benchmark problems and comparing the predicted results to the existing solutions, is evidenced to successfully perform the thermal and thermomechanical bending analysis. Following the verification, nonlinear flexure of the nanocomposite plates under the heat conduction in combination with and without mechanical loading is scrutinized by employing various parameters such as the weight fraction and arrangement scheme of the nanofillers, the plate configuration and the constraint condition. Two types of the GPL-embedded composite plates, i.e., rectangular pristine plate and rectangular plate with cutout are taken into account. Results demonstrate that the proposed IGA method can be used as an accurate and effective numerical tool for analyzing the nonlinear thermoelastic bending behaviour of the intact and perforated GPL-reinforced composite plates and that spreading GPLs near the opposite side of the surface on which the heating is imposed is the most favorable scheme of enhancing the thermal bending resistance.