Influence of Winkler-Pasternak Foundation on the Vibrational Behavior of Plates and Shells Reinforced by Agglomerated Carbon Nanotubes

This paper aims to investigate the effect of the Winkler-Pasternak elastic foundation on the natural frequencies of Carbon Nanotube (CNT)-reinforced laminated composite plates and shells. The micromechanics of reinforcing CNT particles are described by a two-parameter agglomeration model. CNTs are gradually distributed along the thickness direction according to various functionally graded laws. Elastic foundations are modeled according to the Winkler-Pasternak theory. The theoretical model considers several Higher-order Shear Deformation Theories (HSDTs) based on the so-called Carrera Unified Formulation (CUF). The theory behind CNTs is explained in detail. The theoretical model presented is solved numerically by means of the Generalized Differential Quadrature (GDQ) method. Several parametric studies are conducted, and their results are discussed.