This paper investigates the buckling analyses of carbon nanotube (CNT) reinforced composite cylindrical panels via a geometrically nonlinear finite element model with large rotations based on the first-order shear deformation (FOSD) hypothesis. Fully geometrically nonlinear strain-displacement relations and large rotation of shells are considered in the model. First, the proposed model is validated by a frequency analysis of a simply supported CNT reinforced composite cylindrical panel from an existing reference. Then, the model is applied to simulate the behaviors of carbon nanotube reinforced functionally graded (CNT-FG) composite cylindrical panels. The effects of curvature ratio, different buckling behaviors and four representative forms of CNT distributions are studied for their material performance comparatively.

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