Composite Structures 95 (2013) 612622

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Composite Structures
journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/compstruct

Static analysis of functionally graded carbon nanotube-reinforced composite

plate embedded in piezoelectric layers by using theory of elasticity
A. Alibeigloo
Mech. Eng. Dep., Faculty of Engineering, Tarbiat modares University, 14115-143 Tehran, Iran

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: Based on three-dimensional theory of elasticity, bending behavior of functionally graded carbon nano-
Available online 18 August 2012 tube reinforced composite (FG-CNTRC) plate embedded in thin piezoelectric layers subjected to mechan-
ical uniform load with simply supported boundary conditions is investigated. By using Fourier series
Keywords: expansion along the longitudinal and latitudinal directions and state space technique across the thickness
Carbon nanotube direction closed form solution is derived. Accuracy and convergence of the presents approach, is validated
Plate by comparing the numerical results with the published numerical results in the literature. In addition, the
Piezoelectric
effects of volume fraction of CNT, two case of FG-CNTRC, piezoelectric layer thickness, length to thickness
Static
Elasticity
ration and modes number on the static behavior of the hybrid plate are also examined.
2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction uniform or sinusoidal load in thermal environments. Formica

The high strength and stiffness of carbon nanotubes causes to
use it as a reinforcing constituent instead of conventional bers
in composite structures such as beam, plate and shell. Introduction
of CNT into polymer matrix increases the application of reinforcing
composite elements. On the other hand, piezoelectric materials
have coupled effects between the electric elds and the elastic
deformation. It is possible to make a system of intelligent materials
by combining these piezoelectric materials with nanocomposites.
The piezoelectric FG-CNTRC plates are composed of nanocompos-
ite plate imbedded in piezoelectric layers. Study on the mechanical
and thermal properties of CNTRC structures has increased by many
researchers in recent years. Thostenson et al. [1] presented a re-
view on the researches and application of CNT and CNTRC. Gou
et al. [2] used the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and
experimental method to investigate the interfacial bonding of sin-
gle-walled nanotube (SWNT) reinforced epoxy composites. Wuite
and Adali [3] carried out a multiscale analysis of the deection
and stress behavior of carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced polymer
composite beams. Vodenitcharova and Zhang [4] investigated pure
bending and bending-induced local buckling of a nanocomposite
beam reinforced by a SWNT computationally as well as experimen-
tally using Airy stress-function approach. Shen [5] discussed non-
linear bending behavior of simply supported, functionally graded
composite plates reinforced by SWCNTs subjected to transverse
Tel.: +98 21 82883991; fax: +98 21 82884909.
E-mail address: abeigloo@modares.ac.ir
et al. [6] used an equivalent continuum model and Eshelby
MoriTanaka approach to study the vibrational properties of
CNTRC. By using multi-scale approach, Shen and Zhang [7] dis-
cussed thermal buckling and post buckling behavior of functionally
graded nanocomposite plates reinforced by SWCNTs subjected to
in-plane temperature variation. Based on Timoshenko beam theory
and von Krmn geometric nonlinearity, Ke et al. [8] discussed
nonlinear free vibration of FG nanocomposite beams reinforced
by SWCNTs by using Ritz method. Shen [9] used higher order shear
deformation theory as well as a von Krmn-type of kinematic
nonlinearity to investigate the postbuckling behavior of nanocom-
posite cylindrical shells reinforced by SWCNTs and subjected to ax-
ial environments. Based on a micromechanical model and multi-
scale approach, Shen [10] discussed post buckling behavior of
FG-CNTRC cylindrical shells subjected to mechanical load in ther-
mal environments. Based on a higher order shear deformation
plate theory, Wanga and Shen [11] investigated the nonlinear
vibration of FG-SWCNT plates rested on elastic foundation in ther-
mal environments by using an improved perturbation technique.
Mehrabadi et al. [12] discussed mechanical buckling behavior of
FG nanocomposite plate reinforced by SWCNTs by using Mindlin
plate theory based on rst-order shear deformation (FSDT). Zhu
et al. [13] carried out bending and free vibration analysis of com-
posite plates reinforced by SWCNTs by using the nite element
method based on the rst order shear deformation plate theory.
Wang and Shen [14] investigated nonlinear bending and vibration
behavior of sandwich plate with CNTRC face sheets by using multi-
scale approach and two-step perturbation technique. Yas and
Heshmati [15] used Timoshenko beam theory to analysis of vibra-

0263-8223/$ - see front matter 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2012.08.018
 A. Alibeigloo / Composite Structures 95 (2013) 612622 613

Nomenclature

a, b, h plate dimension in x, y and z directions e piezoelectric constant

Cij (i, j = 1, 2, . . . , 6 material elastic constants d state variables
Dx, Dy and Dz electric displacement components bi (i = 1, 2, 3) dielectric constants
Ex, Ey and Ez electric eld in x, y and z direction / electric potential
ECN CN CN m m hc, hp thicknesses of the nanocomposite and piezoelectric
11 ; E22 ; G12 ; E ; G Youngs modulus, shear modulus of car-
bon nanotube and matrix, respectively layers
gi (i = 1, 2, 3) scale factor of CNT n, m half wave numbers in the x- and y-directions
VCN, Vm carbon nanotube and matrix volume fractions, respec- U, V, W displacements in the x-, y- and z-direction, respectively
tively czy, czx, cxy shear strains
WCN, qCN mass fraction and density fraction of CNT, respectively ei (i = x, y, z) normal strains
qm density fraction of matrix dc, dp state vectors of the plate and piezoelectric layers
ri (i = x, y, z) normal stresses w electric voltage
sxy, syz, sxz shear stresses

tion of FG nanocomposite beams reinforced by randomly oriented Relation between the CNT and matrix volume fractions is stated as
straight SWCNTs subjected to moving load. Recently the author
V CN V m 1 2
[16] presented an analytical solution for bending behavior of
functionally graded (FG) plate integrated with piezoelectric actua- The volume fraction of CNT for three cases UD, FG-V and FG-K dis-
tor and sensor under an applied electric eld and mechanical load. tribution along the thickness according to Fig. 1 has the following
Analysis of FG-CNTRC rectangular plate with piezoelectric layers relations, respectively
has not been yet considered. In this paper, based on theory of elas-
V CNT V CNT 3a
ticity, static behavior of FG-CNTRC hybrid plate subjected to uni-
form pressure and applied voltage eld is investigated. V CNT 2V CNT
z 3b
 z
V CNT 2 1  V CNT 3c
h
2. Basic equations
where
2.1. FG-CNTRC layer W CN
V CNT     3d
qCN
A rectangular CNTRC plate with geometry and dimensions W CN qm  qqCN W CN
m

according to Fig. 1 is considered. The SWCNT reinforcement is

either uniformly distributed (UD) or functionally graded (FG) in The Poissons ratio, m12 and the density of the nanocomposite plate
two cases, FG-V and FG-K, in the thickness direction. Displace- is assumed as
ments component along the x, y and z direction are denoted
by U, V and W, respectively. The origin of the reference m12 V CNT mCNT
12 V m m
m
4a
coordinate system is located at the corner of the bottom plane. CNT m
q V CNT q V m q 4b
According to the rule of mixture and considering the CNT
efciency parameters, the effective mechanical properties of And the other effective mechanical properties of mixture of CNTs
mixture of CNTs and matrix isotropic polymer can be written and matrix isotropic polymer are
as the follow [6]
E33 E22 G12 G13 G23 m13 m12 m31 m21
E11 g CN m E22
1 V CN E11 V mE 1a m32 m23 m21 m12 m12
E11
g2 V CN Vm
m 1b The constitutive equations for anisotropic composite layer are writ-
E22 ECN
22
E
ten as
g3 V CN Vm
r Qe 5
1c
G12 GCN
12
Gm

Fig. 1. Geometry of CNTRC.

614 A. Alibeigloo / Composite Structures 95 (2013) 612622

where where
 rp f rpx rpy rpz spzy spzx spxy gT ep
epx epy epz cpzy cpzx cpxy gT
r f rx ry rz syz sxz sxy gT 2 3
  0 0 0 0 e5 0
e ex ey ez cyz cxz cxy T 6 7
e6
40 0 0 e4 0 07
5
2 3
Q 11 Q 12 Q 13 0 0 0
6 7 e1 e2 e3 0 0 0
6 Q 12 Q 22 Q 23 0 0 0 7 2 3
6 7 C 11 C 12 C 13 0 0 0
6 7
6 Q 13 Q 23 Q 33 0 0 0 7 6 7
Q 6
6
7
7 6 C 12
6 C 22 C 23 0 0 0 7
7 2 3
6 0 0 0 Q 44 0 0 7 6 7 b1 0 0
6 7 6 C 13 C 23 C 33 0 0 7
0 7 6 7
6 0 0 7 6 6
4 0 0 0 Q 55 5 C6 7 b4 0 b2 07 5
6 0 0 0 C 44 0 0 7
0 0 0 0 0 Q 66 6 7
6 7 0 0 b3
6 0 0 0 0 C 55 0 7
4 5
And the relation between the stiffness elements, Qij and engineering
0 0 0 0 0 C 66
constants, Eij, Gij and mij are described in Appendix A.
In the absence of body forces, the governing equilibrium equa-
D f Dx Dy Dz gT
tions three dimensions are
In the absence of body forces, the governing differential equations
@ rx @ sxy @ szx and the charge equation of electroelastics are
0
@x @y @z
@ sxy @ ry @ syz
rpx;x spxy;y spzx;z 0
0 6 spxy;x rpy;y spyz;z 0 12
@x @y @z
@ szx @ szy @ rz spzx;x spzy;y rpz;z 0
0
@x @y @z And

where the linear relations between the strain and displacements are Dx;x Dy;y Dz;z 0 13
Linear relations between strain and mechanical displacement is the
@u @v @w @w @u same as the relation (7) and relation between electric eld and elec-
ex ey ez czx
@x @y @z @x @z tric potential are
@w @ v @u @ v
czy cxy 7 Ex w;x Ey w;y Ez w;z 14
@y @z @y @x
From Eqs. (11)(14), the following state space equations can be
By using Eqs. (5)(7), following stat space equations can be derived obtained
d
d d Gp d 15
d Gc d 8 dz
dz
T
where d f rz u v w sxz syz g , and Gp is constant coef-
T
where d f rz u v w sxz syz g is the state variable vector, cients matrix respectively (see Appendix A).
and Gc is the coefcients matrix (see Appendix A). Mechanical and electrical boundary conditions of top surface of
The in-plane stresses in term of state variables are expressed as the actuator and bottom surface of the sensor are
!   rz szx szy 0 w 0 at z h 16a
Q 13 Q 213 @u Q Q @v
rx rz Q 11  Q 12  23 13 rz szx szy 0 Dz 0 at z 0 16b
Q 33 Q 33 @x Q 33 @y
  ! In addition, electric potential, w, at the bottom surface of actuator
2
Q Q Q @u Q @v
ry 23 rz Q 12  13 23 Q 22  23 and top surface of sensor is also zero. Electrical edges boundary con-
Q 33 Q 33 @x Q 33 @y dition is assumed as
 
@ v @u
sxy Q 66 9 w 0 at x 0; a and y 0; b 17
@x @y

The relations for simply supported edges boundary conditions are 3. Solution procedure

rx 0 v w 0 at x 0; a In order to satisfy the simply supported boundary conditions,

10 Eq. (10), displacement and stress components is assumed as
ry 0 u w 0 at y 0; b
rx rx z sinpm x sinpn y ry ry z sinpm x sinpn y
2.2. Piezoelectric layers rz rz z sinpm x sinpn y sxz sxz z cospm x sinpn y
syz syz z sinpm x cospn y sxy sxy z cospm x cospn y
Constitutive equations for an orthotropic piezoelectric layer in u U cospm x sinpn y v V cospm x cospn y
cartesian coordinate system (x, y, z) are
w W sinpm x sinpn y
rp C ep  eT E 11a 18
D eep bE 11b where pm map, pn nbp, m and n are the half-wave numbers along
the x and y directions, respectively.
 A. Alibeigloo / Composite Structures 95 (2013) 612622 615

For convenience, the dimensionless physical quantities are de- where Eqs. (25a) and (25b) are state space equation for the sensor
ned by and actuator layers respectively, and Ga is coefcient matrix (see
Appendix A).
1
r
 x; r
 y; r
 z; s
xz ; s
yz ; s
xy rx ; ry ; rz ; sxz ; syz ; sxy The general solutions to Eqs. (25a) and (25b) can be explicitly
Y1
expressed as
1 z
 ; v ; w
u  u; v ; w ; z Rz
h h
ds ds0 e 0 Gs dz at 0 6 z 6 h 
p 26a
1 1 Rz
x; y
 x; y Dx ; Dy ; Dz Dx ; Dy ; Dz Ga dz
a Y 1 jdj da da0 e 1hp
 p 6 z 6 1
at 1  h 26b
2 ; b
1 ; b 3 b ; b ; b 1
b x y z where ds0 is 
ds at z 0 and 
da0 is  p
da at z 1  h
Y 1 jdj2
Eqs. (26a) and (26b) at top surfaces of sensor and actuator are,
C ij E 1 respectively
C ij E e1 ; e3 ; e5 e1 ; e3 ; e5
Y1 Y1 Y 1 jdj
1 ds h M s d 27a
p 0
e1 e3 e5 e1 e3 e3
Y 1 jd1 j da 1 Ma da0 27b
R hp R1
Ga dz
p hc ; hp 1  /jd1 j
G dz
c ; h
h m apm
p n apa
p Q ij Y 1 Q ij / where M e 0 s and Ma e 1hp
s

h h Dimensionless in-plane stresses in piezoelectric layers can be

19 derived from Eqs. (18), (19), and (11)(14)
where Y1 = 1 GPa is scale factor. 3 e1 e3
C 13 b
By using Eqs. (8), (18) and (19), the following state-space equa- r x 3 e2 z
r
C 33 b 3
tions for the FG-CNTRC layer is derived 0   1
  C 13 C 13 b3 e1 e3 e1 e3 C 13  e1 C 33
d h @
d Gc d 20 p m C 11 AU
dz a C 33 g3 e23
 T
where d r z U V W s zx szy and Gc is dened in   !
Appendix A. h 3 e2 e3 e1 e3 C 23  e2 C 33
C 13 C 23 b

pn  C 12 V
The general solution for Eq. (20) can be explicitly expressed as a 3 e2
C 33 b 3
R z

df df 0 e hp Gf dz p 6 z 6 1  h
h p 21 C 13 e3  e1 C 33
Dz
C 33 b3 e2
where 
df 0 is  p
df at z h 3

Eq. (21) at z 1  h  p yields

p M f d
df 1  h 22
f0 Table 2
R 1hp Comparison of non-dimensional central deection,W for the CNTRC square plate with
Gf dz
where Mf e hp two. cases UD and FG distribution and subjected to uniformly distributed
Non-dimensional in-plane stresses in FG-CNTRC layer can be p0 = 1  105 N/m2.
derived from Eqs. (9), (18) and (19) as V CNT a
Distribution case Present Ref. [13]
! ! h

Q 13 h Q 213 h Q 23 Q 13 0.11 10 UD 3.617e3 3.628e3

r x r z pm Q 11 Upn Q 12 V FG-V 4.455e3 4.466e3
Q 33 a Q 33 a Q 33
! ! 20 UD 3.621e2 3.628e2
Q h Q Q h Q2 FG-V 4.872e2 4.879e2
r y 23 r z pm Q 12 13 23 U pn Q 22 23 V 50 UD 1.15496 1.155
Q 33 a Q 33 a Q 33 FG-V 1.6524 1.653
h 0.14 10 UD 3.295e3 3.306e3
sxy Q 66 pn U pm V 23 FG-V 3.883e3 3.894e3
a
20 UD 2.990e2 3.001e2
Electric displacement and electric eld can be expressed in the form
FG-V 4.013e2 4.025e2
of Fourier series expansion 50 UD 0.9174 0.9175
w wz sinpn x sinpm y Dz Dz sinpn x sinpn y 24 FG-V 1.325 1.326
0.17 10 UD 2.383e3 2.394e3
Substitution of Eqs. (18), (19) and (24) into Eq. (15) leads to FG-V 2.854e3 2.864e3
d 20 UD 2.340e2 2.348e2
ds Gs ds 25a FG-V 3.166e2 3.174e2
dz 50 UD 0.7514 0.7515
d FG-V 1.078 1.082
da Ga da 25b
dz

Table 1
Material properties of piezoelectric sensor and actuator.

Property (GPa) C11 C12 C13 C22 C23 C33 C44 C55 C66
Sensor (PZT-4) 139 78 74 139 74 115 25.6 25.6 30.5
Actuator (Ba2NaNb5O15) 239 104 5 247 52 135 65 66 76
Property e1 e2 e3 e4 e5 l1 l2 l3 d1 p3
Sensor (PZT-4) 5.2 5.2 15.1 12.7 12.7 6.5e9 6.5e9 5.6e9 3.92e12 5.4e5
Actuator (Ba2NaNb5O15) 0.4 0.3 4.3 3.4 2.8 1.96e9 2.01e9 0.28e9 3.92e12 5.4e5

The unit of matrix e is coul/m2, matrix l is farads/m, d1 is coul/N and p3 is coul/m2 K.

616 A. Alibeigloo / Composite Structures 95 (2013) 612622

3 e2 e3
C 23 b where ma8j is the 8th raw and jth column elements of matrix Ma and
r y 3 e2 z
r  p is the mechanical part of state variables at bottom sur-
C 33 b dm 1  h
3
  ! face of actuator.
h 3 e1 e3 e2 e3 C 13  e1 C 33
C 23 C 13 b p 0 into the Eq. (27b)
pm C 12 U Substitution of Eq. (29) and w1  h
a 3 e2
C 33 b 3 yields
0   1
  C 23 C 23 b3 e2 e3 e2 e3 C 23  e2 C 33  B
h @ AV dm 1 T a dm 1  h p a 30
pn  C 22
a 3 e2
C 33 b h i 
3 h i  
  where T a maij  mai7 ma8j m1a and Ba mai7 w1
ma
C 23 e3  e2 C 33 h 87 87
D zs
xy C 66 m V p
p n U 28  T

C 33 b3 e3 2 a m
d r z U V W sxz syz i j 1; 2; . . . ; 6
Electric potential,w, at the bottom surface of sensor can be deter-
3.1. Global transfer matrix and boundary condition mined From Eq. (27a)

From Eq. (27b), electric displacement at the bottom surface of 1 h s i m

actuator is obtained as w0 m8j d 0 j 1; . . . ; 6 31
ms88
p 1  h i
p

Dz 1  h a
w1  ma8j dm 1  h j 1; . . . ; 6 29 By substituting the Eq. (31) and Dr(0) = 0 into the Eq. (27a) one can
m87 obtain

(a) Transverse normal stress (b) Longitudinal normal stress

(c) Transverse shear stress (d) Transverse displacement

(e) Longitudinal displacement (f) Latitudinal displacement

Fig. 2. Distribution of mechanical entities along the thickness for UD-CNTRC and FG-CNTRC square plate with V CNT 0:17, m = n = 25.
 A. Alibeigloo / Composite Structures 95 (2013) 612622 617

s T s dm 0
dm h 32 Since the mechanical state variables at the interfaces of the
h i  actuator, FG-CNTRC and sensor layers are continuous, so from
h i
where T s msij  msi8 ms8j m1s i j 1; 2; . . . ; 6 Eqs. (22), (30) and (32) following relation between the mechanical
88

(a) Transverse normal stress (b) Longitudinal normal stress

(c) Transverse shear stress (d) Transverse displacement

(e) Longitudinal displacement (f) Latitudinal displacement

Fig. 3. Effect of CNT volume fraction on through the thickness stresses and displacements for the FG-V CNTRC hybrid beam, with L/h = 50, V CNT 0:17.

(a) Transverse normal stress (b) Transverse displacement

Fig. 4. Effect of CNT volume fraction on the transverse normal stress and transverse displacement for the thin and thick CNTCR square hybrid plate with, ha 50 m; n 25.
618 A. Alibeigloo / Composite Structures 95 (2013) 612622

state variables at the upper and lower surfaces of hybrid FG plate is By applying Eqs. (16a) and (16b) to Eq. (33) following equation
obtained can be derived
2 38 9 8 9 8 a9
dm h Sdm 0 Ba 33 S12 S13 S14 > = >
< U0 > 0 >
< q = >< B2 >
=
6 7
4 S52 S53 S54 5 V 0 0  Ba3 34
where S = TaMfTs and Ba are constant coefcient 6  6 matrix and >
: ; >
> : >
; >: a> ;
S62 S63 S64 W0 0 B4
6  1 vector respectively.

(a) Transverse normal stress (b) Longitudinal normal stress

(c) Transverse shear stress (d) Transverse shear stress

(e) Transverse displacement (f) Longitudinal displacement

(g) Latitudinal displacement (h) Induced voltage

Fig. 5. Through the thickness distribution of stresses, displacements and induced voltage for the FG-CNTRC hybrid plate subjected to various uniformly pressure, with L/
h = 50, V CNT 0:17.
 A. Alibeigloo / Composite Structures 95 (2013) 612622 619

 T
Displacement components at the bottom surface, U 0 V 0 W 0 , To show the validity and the effect of CNT in the bending behavior
can be obtained by solving Eq. (34). By using the obtained displace- of nanocomposite, numerical illustration is made. In order to vali-
ment components and Eqs. (21), (26a) and (26b), mechanical and date the present formulation, a comparison study for the non-
electrical state variables in three dimensions can be derived. Finally, dimensional transverse deection of CNTRC square plate without
by substituting the obtained state variables into the induced vari- piezoelectric layers for two cases of CNT distribution with those
able, Eqs. (23) and (28), the in-plane stresses can be determined. of published literature are listed in Table 2. Since the governing
equation in Ref. [13] is based on rst order shear deformation the-
4. Numerical results and discussion ory so, regardless of the amount of length-to-thickness ratio and
volume fraction of CNT constituent, dimensionless transverse dis-
In this section a simply-supported FG-CNT rectangular plate placement of the present formulation is smaller than that of Ref.
imbedded in piezoelectric layers with the material properties men- [13]. The difference between the two results is due to the approxi-
tioned in Table 1 and the following material properties for the CNT mate two dimensional formulations as well as the numerical nite
and matrix polymer is considered to illustrate the foregoing analysis element method. According to the table when the length to thick-
TPa TPa
ness ration increases the plate behaves as thin plate and the results
ECN
11 5:6466 ECN CN
22 E33 7:0800 GCN CN
12 G13 1:9445
TPa
of Ref. [13] converges to the results of the present procedure. For
TPa
mCN
12 1:9445
further discussion, numerical investigation were carried out and
presented in Figs. 27. Fig. 2af depicts the effect of three cases of
3 3 CNT distribution, UD, FG-V and FG-K, on the stress and displace-
qCNT 1:4g=cm Em 2:1GPa mm 0:34 qm 1:5g=cm
ment eld for the nanocomposite hybrid plate. According to Fig. 2
g1 0:149 g2 0:934 g2 g3 ad the transverse normal and shear stresses and transverse dis-

(a) Transverse normal stress (b) Transverse shear stress

(c) Transverse shear stress (d) Transverse displacement

(e) Longitudinal displacement (f) Latitudinal displacement

Fig. 6. Effect of applied voltage on through the thickness distribution of stresses, displacements for the FG- CNTRC hybrid beam with L/h = 50, V CNT 0:17.
620 A. Alibeigloo / Composite Structures 95 (2013) 612622
placement in the case of FG-V, at a point are always smaller in mag-
nitude than those at the corresponding points in the other two cases
of CNT distribution. Henceforth, all of the numerical results are pre-
sented for the FG-V case. From Fig. 2e and f it is concluded that the
effect of cases of CNT distribution in in-plane displacements are not
noticeable. Effect of CNT volume fraction on stress and displace-
ment elds is presented in Fig. 3af. Increases the CNT volume frac-
tion causes to decrease the stresses as well as transverse and
longitudinal displacements. From Fig. 3f it can be observed that
by increasing the VCNT, latitudinal displacement increases and this
effect near the bottom surface is greater than that at the top surface.
From the gures it is concluded that stress distribution along the FG
layer thickness is nonlinear where as it is linear for the piezoelectric
layers. Also it is seen that the effect of VCNT on the actuator layer is
more signicant than that for the sensor layer. Inuence of VCNT on
the transverse normal stress and transverse displacement for the
thin and thick FG-CNTCR square hybrid plate is depicted in Fig. 4a
and b. Transverse normal stress contrary to the transverse displace-
ment in thin plate is smaller than that in thick plate and the effect of
piezoelectric layer in thin plate is more signicant than that in thick
plate. Also it is observed that the transverse normal stress in thick
plate is more affected by VCNT than that in the thin plate. According
to Fig. 4b, transverse displacement for thick plate in comparison
with that for the thin plate is almost negligible. Increases the VCNT
in thin plate causes to decrease the transverse displacement and
the rate of this effect decreases by increasing the VCNT. Inuence
of external uniform pressure on the mechanical and electrical
behavior of hybrid nanocomposite plate is presented in Fig. 5ah.
From the gures it is seen that the stresses and displacement in-
creases when the applied load increase. As the gures show, stress
distribution has maximum value near the top region and it de-
creases gradually and diminishs near the bottom surface. Since
CNT is located along the longitudinal direction, therefore the trans-
verse shear stress in x-plane, sxz, is smaller than the transverse
(a) Transverse normal stress
(c) Longitudinal displacement
Fig. 7. Inuence of piezoelectric layer thickness on through the thickness distribution of stresses, displacements without applied voltage for the FG-CNTRC hybrid plate with
L/h = 50, V CNT 0:17.
shear stress in y-plane, syz. Also it is seen that the direction of sxz,
contrary to the direction of syz, is changed near the top surface.
From Fig. 5e and f, it is observed that the transverse displacement
along the thickness direction is constant where as the variation of
in-plane displacement is linear and by increasing the mechanical
load, latitudinal displacement at the bottom surface is more af-
fected than that at the top surface. Fig. 5h depicts that the induced
voltage due to the applied mechanical load. According to the gure
it is distributed linearly across the sensor thickness and by increas-
ing the mechanical load the induced voltage increases. The effect of
applied voltage on through the thickness distribution of stresses
and displacements is depicted in Fig. 6af. According to the gures
increases the excitation electric potential causes to increase all of
entities. As Fig. 6a, d depicts the inuence of applied voltage on
the transverse normal stress and displacement is more signicant
than the other entities. From the gures it can be observed that
the region near the top surface of the nanocomposite plate is more
affected by applied voltage than that at the region near the bottom
surface. From Fig. 6e and f it is concluded that the inuence of ap-
plied voltage on the in-plane displacements in comparison with the
transverse displacement is negligible. In the absence of excitation
voltage the effect of piezoelectric thickness on the mechanical
behavior of FG-CNTRC plate is presented in Fig. 7ac. By decreasing
the piezoelectric thickness, transverse normal stress and displace-
ments decreases up to a specied constant value. According
Fig. 7b, the thickness of piezoelectric layer without applied voltage
affects the transverse displacement signicantly. In this investiga-
h
tion when hpf > 120 the effect of piezoelectric layer can be neglected.
5. Conclusion
Static analysis of FG-CNTRC plate imbedded in piezoelectric
layers with three cases of CNT distribution was examined. The
(b) Transverse displacement
 A. Alibeigloo / Composite Structures 95 (2013) 612622 621

governing differential equations are based on 3-D theory of elastic- D 1  m12 m21  m23 m32  m31 m13  2m12 m32 m13
ity. The analysis was carried out by using the Fourier series expan- 2 3
@ @
sion along the longitudinal and latitudinal directions and state 0 0 0 0  @x  @y
space technique in the thickness direction. The effectiveness of 6 7
6 0 0 0 @
 @x a1 0 7
the closed form solution in predicting the exact behavior of nano- 6 7
6 0 0 0 @
0 a27
6 7
composite beam was checked by comparing its numerical results 6 @y
7
Gc 6 a a @ @
a5 @y 0 0 0 7
with the results of published literature. Numerical results show 6 3 4 @x 7
6 7
that; 6 @ @2 @2 @2 7
6 a4 @x a6 @y2 a7 @x 2 a8 @x@y 0 0 0 7
4 5
@ @2 @2 @2
Transverse normal and shear stresses and transverse displace- a9 @x a10 @x@y a6 @x 2 a11 @y 2 0 0 0
ment in the case of FG-V, at a point are always smaller in mag-
nitude than those at the corresponding points in the other two where
cases of CNT distribution. 1 1 1 Q 13 Q 23
Effect of CNT on the transverse quantities, contrary to the in- a1 a2 a3 a4 a5
Q 55 Q 44 Q 33 Q 33 Q 33
plane quantities, is more signicant. Q 13
Increases the CNT volume fraction causes to decrease the stres- a6 Q 66 a7
Q 33
ses as well as transverse and longitudinal displacements and
the rate of decreasing the displacement decreases with increas- !  
Q 213 Q Q
ing the CNT volume fraction. a7  Q 11  a8 Q 12 Q 66  23 13
Variation of stresses across the thickness of the piezoelectric
Q 33 Q 33
 
layers, contrary to the substrate layer, varies linearly and this Q 23 Q 23 Q 13
a9 a10 Q 12 Q 66 
variation in actuator layer is noticeable. Q 33 Q 33
Effect of piezoelectric layer in thin plate is more signicant than
!
that in thick plate. Q 223
Induced voltage due to the applied mechanical load is distrib- a11  Q 22
Q 33
uted linearly across the sensor thickness and increases by
increasing the mechanical load. 2 h h
3
Applied voltage can affects the transverse quantities more sig- 0 0 0 0 p
a m
p
a n
6 7
nicant than that for the in-plane quantities. 60 0 0 h 
p
a m
1
a 0 7
6 7
Inuence of piezoelectric layer, in the absence of excitation 6 h   7
60 0 0 p
a n
0 a27
voltage, on the mechanical entities decreases by decreasing Gc 6 7
6a 0 7
the Thickness of piezoelectric layer and in this investiga- 6 3 4
a 5
a 0 0 7
6 6 7 7
h
tion when hpf > 120 the effect of piezoelectric layer can be 4 a4 a a 0 0 0 5
neglected. 8
a 7
a 9
a 0 0 0
where

Appendix A 1 1 1 h Q 13 h Q 23
1
a 2
a 3
a m
a4 p n
a5 p
Q 55 Q 44 Q 33 a Q 33 a Q 33

 2 " !#
E11 E22 h Q2
Q 11 1  m23 m32 Q 22 1  m31 m13 6
a 2n Q 66 p
p 2m Q 11  13
D D a Q 33
E33  2 " #
Q 33 1  m12 m21 Q 44 G23 Q 55 G13 h Q Q
D 7
a m p
p n Q 12 Q 66  23 13
a Q 33
E11 E11
Q 66 G12 Q 12 m21 m31 m23 Q 13 m31 m21 m32  2 " !#
D D h Q 13 h 2 2 Q 223
E22  8 p
a n 9
a  
pm Q 66 pn Q 22 
Q 23 m32 m12 m31 a Q 33 a Q 33
D

2 3
0 0 0 0 pn pm 0 0
6 0 0 0  ha pm 1
0 0  pCn55e5 7
6 C 55 7
6 7
6 0 0 0  ha pn 0 1
0  pCm44e4 7
6 C 44 7
6 7
6 3 pm C 13 b
 e e pn C 23 b
 e e 7
6 b 3 1 3 h 3 2 3 h
0 0 0 e3
0 7
6 C 33 b e2  e2
C 33 b a  e2
C 33 b a C 33 g3 e23 7
6 3 3 3 3 3 3 7
Gp 6 
6 pmCC 13bb3ee2 1 e3 A1 A2 0 0 0 pn e1 C 33 e3 C 13
0 7
7
6 33 3 3
C 33 g3 e23 7
6 7
6 pm C 23 b3 e2 e3 pm e2 C 33 C 23 e3 7
6 A3 A4 0 0 0 0 7
6 C 33 b3 e2
3
C 33 g3 e23 7
6 7
6 0 0 0 0 pn e5 pm e4
0 A5 7
6 C 55 C 44 7
4 5
e3 pn e3 C 13 e1 C 33 pm e3 C 23 e2 C 33 C 33
3 e2
C 33 b C 33 b3 e2  3 e2
C 33 b
0 0 0 C 33 g3 e23
0
3 3 3
622 A. Alibeigloo / Composite Structures 95 (2013) 612622

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