Fractional thermoelastic dynamics and structural stability of graphene-reinforced smart concrete plates

The paper demonstrates how multilayered graphene-enhanced smart concrete plates interact with fractional thermoelasticity and their structural performance. The structure design includes three layers, which consist of a graphene nanoplatelet-reinforced concrete core that two piezoelectric face sheets use as their sensor and actuator components. The study examines multiple graphene nanoplatelet distribution patterns that penetrate through the core thickness to assess their effect on dynamic and stability performance. The mechanical behavior of the plate establishes its foundation on higher-order shear deformation theory which enables complete representation of transverse shear effects without needing shear correction factors. The composite system uses fractional-order heat conduction to model its nonlocal thermal memory effects and actual heat transfer characteristics. The piezoelectric-thermoelastic constitutive relationships are presented in their completely coupled state which includes all mechanical, thermal, and electrical field interactions. The upper and lower piezoelectric layers use separate independent electrical potential functions for their operational control during sensing and actuation functions. The governing equations of motion together with their boundary conditions are obtained through Hamilton's principle for a system of fractional viscoelastic plates. The resulting equations are solved through numerical methods which use the differential quadrature method with Chebyshev-Gauss-Lobatto functions that provide results with both high accuracy and efficient performance. The researchers conducted parametric studies to assess how fractional parameters combined with graphene nanoplatelet distribution, thermal loading and piezoelectric coupling affect energy dissipation, oscillatory behavior and stability characteristics. The study demonstrates that fractional viscoelasticity, together with smart material integration enables better vibration control and improved thermal resistance and greater structural stability for graphene-reinforced smart concrete plates.