An analytical approach for nonlinear thermal buckling and postbuckling behavior of functionally graded graphene platelet-reinforced composite conical shells

Abstract

This study presents an analytical investigation into the nonlinear thermal buckling behavior of functionally graded graphene platelet-reinforced composite (FG-GPLRC) conical shells resting on a nonlinear elastic foundation. The formulation is developed based on Donnell shell theory in conjunction with von Kármán geometric nonlinearity. The nonlinear foundation is characterized by three stiffness parameters that capture both hardening and softening behaviors, corresponding to positive and negative nonlinear parameters, respectively. Employing the Ritz energy method, thermal load–deflection relationships are derived to analyze both the critical buckling temperature and the postbuckling response of the structure. The influence of key parameters, including the stiffness of the elastic medium, graphene platelet (GPL) mass fraction, material gradation profiles, and geometric configurations, on the nonlinear thermal buckling performance is thoroughly examined through numerical simulations.