Experimental and theoretical results for bending and buckling of a five-layer sandwich plate reinforced by carbon nanotubes/carbon nanorods/graphene platelets/shape memory alloy based on RFSDT

In this research, experimental and theoretical results for bending and buckling of a five-layer sandwich plate with composite face sheets reinforced by carbon nanotubes (CNTs), carbon nanorods, graphene platelets (GPLs), or nitinol shape memory alloy (SMA) wire and foam core are studied. The equations of equilibrium for this sandwich plate based on RFSDT and the principle of minimum total potential energy are derived, and then, the transverse displacement and buckling load are obtained. Using the rule of mixture and the Halpin–Tsai equation, the mechanical properties of the reinforced composite face sheets are calculated and also, and the constitutive equations of the SMA are presented according to the Brinson model. As well as, the influence of various parameters including thickness ratio, aspect ratio, the volume fraction of CNTs, GPLs, and nitinol SMA wire, fiber placement angle, and temperature changes are investigated on transverse deformation and dimensionless critical buckling load. Finally, tensile and buckling experimental tests were performed according to the standard tests ASTM D 3039 and ASTM C 364, respectively.