Vibration of thermally postbuckled carbon nanotube-reinforced composite beams resting on elastic foundations

This paper investigates the small- and large-amplitude vibrations of thermally postbuclded carbon nanotube-reinforced composite (CNTRC) beams resting on elastic foundations. For the CNTRC beams, uniformly distributed (UD) and functionally graded (FG) reinforcements are considered where the temperature-dependent material properties of CNRTC beams are assumed to be graded in the thickness direction and estimated through a micromechanical model. The motion equations are derived based on a higher order shear deformation beam theory with including the beam-foundation interaction. The initial deflection caused by thermal postbuckling is also included. The numerical illustrations concern small- and large-amplitude vibration characteristics of thermally postbuckled CNTRC beams under uniform temperature field. The effects of carbon nanotube (CNT) volume fraction and distribution patterns