Thermal buckling of temperature-dependent composite super elliptical plates reinforced with carbon nanotubes

In this work, the problem of thermal buckling of composite plates reinforced with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is investigated. Distribution of CNTs as reinforcements through the thickness direction of the plate is assumed to be either uniform or functionally graded (FG). Properties of the reinforcement and matrix are both temperature dependent. Properties of the composite media are obtained according to a refined rule of mixture approach where the efficiency parameters are introduced. The plate is in a super elliptical shape where the simple elliptical shape and rectangular shapes are obtained as especial cases. In these types of plates due to the round corners, stress concentration phenomenon is eliminated. Based on the Ritz method where the shape functions are of the polynomial type, the governing equations are obtained. These equations are solved using an iterative eigenvalue problem since the properties are temperature dependent. Numerical results are validated for the simple case of an isotropic plate. Novel numerical results are provided for plates reinforced with CNTs in different shapes, various volume fractions and different patterns of CNT distribution. It is shown that FG-X pattern of CNTs in matrix results in the maximum critical buckling temperature.