Abstract: This study investigates the size-dependent wave propagation behaviors under the thermoelectric loads of porous functionally graded piezoelectric (FGP) nanoplates deposited in a viscoelastic foundation. It is assumed that (i) the material parameters of the nanoplates obey a power-law variation in thickness and (ii) the uniform porosity exists in the nanoplates. The combined effects of viscoelasticity and shear deformation are considered by using the Kelvin-Voigt viscoelastic model and the refined higher-order shear deformation theory. The scale effects of the nanoplates are captured by employing nonlocal strain gradient theory (NSGT). The motion equations are calculated in accordance with Hamilton’s principle. Finally, the dispersion characteristics of the nanoplates are numerically determined by using a harmonic solution. The results indicate that the nonlocal parameters (NLPs) and length scale parameters (LSPs) have exactly the opposite effects on the wave frequency. In addition, it is found that the effect of porosity volume fractions (PVFs) on the wave frequency depends on the gradient indices and damping coefficients. When these two values are small, the wave frequency increases with the volume fraction. By contrast, at larger gradient index and damping coefficient values, the wave frequency decreases as the volume fraction increases.

Key words: scale effect, functionally graded material (FGM), dispersion characteristic, piezoelectric nanoplate, viscoelastic foundation