Thermal buckling and postbuckling of functionally graded multilayer GPL-reinforced composite beams on nonlinear elastic foundations

Under the influence of axial forces and uniform temperature variations, the thermal buckling and postbuckling of composite beams reinforced of functionally graded multilayer graphene platelets (GPLs) resting on nonlinear elastic foundations are examined. The Halpin-Tsai model is used to calculate the elastic modulus of each layer of GPL-reinforced composite (GPLRC). According to the virtual work principle, the nonlinear governing equations for the beam are obtained from the first-order shear deformation beam theory. The impact of axial force and nonlinear elastic foundation on thermal buckling and postbuckling is discussed using the differential quadrature method (DQM), and the analytical expression is given by the two-step perturbation method (TSPM). The effects of axial force, boundary conditions, slenderness ratio, GPL geometry, GPL weight fraction, GPL distribution pattern, and elastic foundation coefficient on thermal buckling and postbuckling are examined through parameter analysis.