A numerical study on flow-induced instabilities of supersonic FG-CNT reinforced composite flat panels in thermal environments

In this research, the aerothermoelastic behaviors of supersonic functionally graded carbon nanotube reinforced composite (FG-CNTRC) flat panels in thermal environments are scrutinized. The dynamic model of the FG-CNTRC flat panel is developed on the basis of the first-order shear deformation theory incorporating von Karman geometrical nonlinearity. The thermomechanical properties of carbon nanotubes and polymer matrix are assumed to be temperature-dependent. The aerodynamic pressure is calculated according to the first-order supersonic piston theory. Adopting the discrete singular convolution method, the equations of motion and boundary conditions are converted into a set of algebraic equations. Ample numerical results are presented to highlight the aerothermoelastic responses of the FG-CNTRC flat panel considering various influential parameters such as CNT volume fraction and distribution, boundary conditions, thermal environments, geometrical parameters and Mach number. The results reveal that CNT distribution and volume fraction play a key role in enhancing the aerothermoelastic responses of FG-CNTRC flat panels. It is also found that presence of the aerodynamic pressure plays an essential role not only in the onset of aerothermal buckling instability, but also in changing the vibration and buckling mode shapes of FG-CNTRC flat panels.