Electromechanical buckling behavior of smart piezoelectrically actuated higher-order size-dependent graded nanoscale beams in thermal environment

Abstract

In the present work, thermo-electro-mechanical buckling behavior of functionally graded piezoelectric (FGP) nanobeams is investigated based on higher-order shear deformation beam theory. The FGP nanobeam is subjected to four types of thermal loading including uniform, linear, and sinusoidal temperature rise as well as heat conduction through the beam thickness. Thermo-electro-mechanical properties of FGP nanobeam are supposed to change continuously in the thickness direction based on power-law model. To consider the influences of small-scale sizes, Eringen’s nonlocal elasticity theory is adopted. Applying Hamilton’s principle, the nonlocal governing equations of an FGP nanobeam in thermal environments are obtained and are solved using Navier-type analytical solution. The significance of various parameters, such as thermal loadings, external electric voltage, power-law index, nonlocal parameter, and slenderness ratio on thermal buckling response of size-dependent FGP nanobeams is investigated.