Nonlocal strain gradient theory for buckling and bending of FG-GRNC laminated sandwich plates

The bending and buckling behaviours of FG-GRNC laminated sandwich plates are investigated by using novel five-variables quasi 3D higher order shear deformation plate theory by considering the modified continuum nonlocal strain gradient theory. To calculate the effective Young’s modulus of the GRNC sandwich plate along the thickness direction, and Poisson’s ratio and mass density, the modified Halpin-Tsai model and the rule of the mixture are employed. Based on a new field of displacement, governing equilibrium equations of the GRNC sandwich plate are solved using a developed approach of Galerkin method. A detailed parametric analysis is carried out to highlight the influences of length scale and material scale parameters, GPLs distribution pattern, the weight fraction of GPLs, geometry and size of GPLs, the geometry of the sandwich plate and the total number of layers on the stresses, deformation and critical buckling loads. Some details are studied exclusively for the first time, such as stresses and the nonlocality effect.