Multiscale simulation of temperature- and pressure-dependent nonlinear dynamics of PMMA/CNT composite plates

JF Wang and SQ Shi and YZ Liu and JP Yang and LH Tam, NONLINEAR DYNAMICS, 109, 1517-1550 (2022).

DOI: 10.1007/s11071-022-07511-6

Owing to the excellent mechanical properties, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA)/carbon nanotube (CNT) composite has been increasingly adopted in the aerospace field, which is usually subjected to various temperature conditions and supersonic aerodynamic loads. Using a molecular dynamics (MD)-based multiscale simulation, the nonlinear forced vibration of PMMA/CNT composite plate is investigated under coupled temperature and aerodynamic load conditions. The longitudinal, transverse and shear moduli of PMMA/single-walled CNT (SWCNT) nanocomposite obtained from MD simulation at different temperature and pressure levels are substituted into the extended rule of mixtures to establish the constitutive equations of PMMA/CNT composite plate. Meanwhile, Poisson's ratio and thermal expansion coefficient of nanocomposite are used in the constitutive equations. Based on the third-order shear deformation theory, von Karman nonlinear strain-displacement relation and Hamilton's principle, the partial differential equation of composite plate is derived, which is reduced into a set of coupled ordinary differential equations by applying Galerkin method and is solved using the fourth- order Runge-Kutta method. The bifurcation diagrams, phase portraits, time histories and Poincare maps of composite plate are obtained under the complex loads including transverse harmonic excitation and aerodynamic pressure, which are applied to analyze the dynamic characteristics of system. This study reveals the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of PMMA/CNT composite plate, which contributes to the prediction of long-term performance of composite materials in aerospace field.

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