Free Vibration Analyses of Functionally Graded CNT Reinforced Nanocomposite Sandwich Plates Resting on Elastic Foundation

In this paper, a refined plate theory is applied to investigate the free vibration analysis of functionally graded nanocomposite sandwich plates reinforced by randomly oriented straight carbon nanotube (CNT). The refined shear deformation plate theory (RSDT) uses only four independent unknowns and accounts for a quadratic variation of the transverse shear strains across the thickness, and satisfies the zero traction boundary conditions on the top and bottom surfaces of the plate without using shear correction factors. The motion equations are derived using Hamilton’s energy principle and Navier’s method and is applied to solve this equation. The sandwich plates are considered simply supported and resting on a Winkler/Pasternak elastic foundation. The material properties of the functionally graded carbon nanotube reinforced composites (FG-CNTRCs) are graded along the thickness and estimated though the Mori–Tanaka method. Effects of CNT volume fraction, geometric dimensions of sandwich plate, and elastic foundation parameters are investigated on the natural frequency of the FG-CNTRC sandwich plates.