Isogeometric thermal buckling analysis of temperature dependent FG graphene reinforced laminated plates using NURBS formulation

Present research aims to analyse the thermal buckling response of composite laminated plates reinforced with graphene sheets. Volume fraction of graphene in each layer may be different which results in a piecewise functionally graded material. All of the thermomechanical properties of the matrix and graphene sheets are assumed to be temperature dependent. A micromechanical approach is used to estimate the thermomechanical properties of the composite media. Using the first order shear deformation plate theory, the strain energy of the plate and the work done by the thermally induced prebuckling forces are obtained. Afterwards, a non-uniform rational B-spline (NURBS) based isogeometric finite element method is used to study the thermal buckling response of the graphene reinforced composite plates. A detailed study is provided to investigate the effects of boundary conditions, functionally graded pattern, aspect ratio and side to thickness ratio of the plate. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.