This paper investigates the free vibration and compressive buckling characteristics of functionally graded graphene nanoplatelets reinforced composite (FG-GPLRC) beams containing open edge cracks by using the finite element method. The beam is a multilayer structure where the weight fraction of graphene nanoplatelets (GPLs) remains constant in each layer but varies along the thickness direction. The effective Young’s modulus of each GPLRC layer is determined by the modified Halpin-Tsai micromechanics model while its Poisson’s ratio and mass density are predicted according to the rule of mixture. The effects of GPLs distribution pattern, weight fraction, geometry, crack depth ratio (CDR), slenderness ratio as well as boundary conditions on the fundamental frequency and critical buckling load of the FG-GPLRC beam are studied in detail. It was found that distributing more GPLs on the top and bottom surfaces of the cracked FG-GPLRC beam provides the best reinforcing effect for improved vibrational and buckling performance. The fundamental frequency and critical buckling load are also considerably affected by the geometry and dimension of GPL nanofillers.

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This paper presents a numerical investigation on the nonlinear dynamic response of multilayer functionally graded graphene platelets reinforced composite (FG-GPLRC) beam with open edge cracks in thermal environment. It is assumed that graphene platelets (GPLs) in each GPLRC layer are uniformly distributed and randomly oriented with its concentration varying layer-wise along the thickness direction. The effective material properties of each GPLRC layer are predicted by Halpin-Tsai micromechanics-based model. Finite element method is employed to calculate the dynamic response of the cracked FG-GPLRC beam. It is found that the maximum dynamic deformation of the cracked FG-GPLRC beam under dynamic loading is quite sensitive to the crack location and grows with an increase in the crack depth ratio (CDR) and temperature rise. The influences of GPL distribution, concentration, geometry as well as the boundary conditions on the dynamic response characteristics of cracked FG-X-GPLRC beams are also investigated comprehensively.