IMECE2008-67227 \ A FINITE ELEMENT MODEL FOR BENDING BUCKLING OF SINGLE WALL CARBON NANO-TUBES AND INVESTIGATION OF GEOMETRICAL PARAMETERS ON IT

ABSTRACT Bending buckling behavior of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) is modeled by means of finite element method (FEM) and the relations between critical bending buckling curvature and geometrical parameters of nanotubes are determined. Elastic modulus and wall thickness of nanotubes are chosen in a way that elastic shell theory is capable of predicting mechanical properties of nanotubes. The effect of initial internal stress state through the shell thickness is investigated. Computed results are very close to the results of molecular dynamics simulation