Buckling Analysis of Intermediately Supported Nanobeams via Strain Gradient Elasticity Theory

Abstract

Buckling of axially loaded cantilever nanobeams with intermediate support have been studied in the current study. Higher order size dependent strain gradient theory has been utilized to capture the scale effect in nano dimension. Minimum total potential energy formulation has been used in modeling of nanobeam. Approximate Ritz method has been applied to the energy formulation for obtaining critical buckling loads. Position of the intermediate support has been varied and its effect on the critical buckling load has been investigated in the analysis. Mode shapes in critical buckling loads have been shown for various intermediate support positions. Present results could be useful in design of carbon nanotube resonators.