Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are expected to have significant impact on several emerging nanoelectromechanical (NEMS) applications. Vigorous understanding of the dynamic behavior of CNTs is essential for designing novel nanodevices. Recent literature show an increased utilization of models based on elastic continuum mechanics theories for studying the vibration behavior of CNTs. The importance of the continuum models stems from two points; (i) continuum simulations consume much less computational effort than the molecular dynamics simulations, and (ii) predicting nanostructures behavior through continuum simulation is much cheaper than studying their behavior through experimental verification. In numerous recent papers, CNTs were assumed to behave as perfectly straight beams or straight cylindrical shells. However, images taken by transmission electron microscopes for CNTs show that these tiny structures are not usually straight, but rather have certain degree of curvature or waviness along the nanotubes length. The curved morphology is due to process-induced waviness during manufacturing processes, in addition to mechanical properties such as low bending stiffness and large aspect ratio. In this study the free nonlinear oscillations of wavy embedded multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are investigated. The problem is formulated on the basis of the continuum mechanics theory and the waviness of the MWCNTs is modeled as a sinusoidal curve. The governing equation of motion is derived by using the Hamilton’s principle. The Galerkin approach was utilized to reduce the equation of motion to a second order nonlinear differential equation which involves a quadratic nonlinear term due to the curved geometry of the beam, and a cubic nonlinear term due to the stretching effect. The system response has been obtained using the incremental harmonic balanced method (IHBM). Using this method, the iterative relations describing the interaction between the amplitude and the frequency for the single-wall nanotube and double-wall nanotube are obtained. Also, the influence of the waviness, elastic medium and van der Waals forces on frequency-response curves is researched. Results present some useful information to analyze CNT’s nonlinear dynamic behavior.
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