Frequency and mass optimization for an axially functionally graded GNP-reinforced conical shell with variable thickness

  • Zhigang ZHAO ,
  • Jun GAO ,
  • Feng LI ,
  • H. AFSHARI
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  • 1.College of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong Huayu University of Technology, Dezhou 253000, Shandong Province, China
    2.School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
    3.Department of Transportation of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Hohhot 010010, China
    4.National Railway Group Wuguang High Railway Company, Wuhan 430212, China
    5.Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kho.C., Islamic Azad University, Khomeinishahr 8418148499, Iran
Jun GAO, E-mail: policegaojun@163.com

Received date: 2025-11-12

  Revised date: 2026-02-05

  Online published: 2026-03-31

Copyright

© Shanghai University 2026

Abstract

This paper studies the optimization of mass and frequency for a polymeric conical shell reinforced with graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs). The volume fraction of the GNPs and the thickness of the shell change along the meridional direction. The modeling of the conical shell is conducted by the first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT), and the governing equations and boundary conditions are derived by Hamilton’s principle. A semi-analytical solution is presented, including an analytical solution carried out in the circumferential direction and a numerical solution conducted in the meridional direction utilizing the differential quadrature method (DQM). To maximize the fundamental frequency and minimize the mass, the particle swarm optimization (PSO) is utilized, taking into account some constraints on the minimum thickness of the shell and the maximum volume fraction of the GNPs. The optimization process involves finding the optimal profiles of thickness and volume fraction of the GNPs.

Cite this article

Zhigang ZHAO , Jun GAO , Feng LI , H. AFSHARI . Frequency and mass optimization for an axially functionally graded GNP-reinforced conical shell with variable thickness[J]. Applied Mathematics and Mechanics, 2026 , 47(4) : 859 -882 . DOI: 10.1007/s10483-026-3373-7

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