In this work, we discuss the free vibration behavior of thin-walled composite shell structures reinforced with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in a nonlinear setting and resting on a Winkler-Pasternak Foundation (WPF). The theoretical model and the differential equations associated with the problem account for different distributions of CNTs (with uniform or nonuniform linear patterns), together with the presence of an elastic foundation, and von-Karman type nonlinearities. The basic equations of the problem are solved by using the Galerkin and Grigolyuk methods, in order to determine the frequencies associated with linear and nonlinear free vibrations. The reliability of the proposed methodology is verified against further predictions from the literature. Then, we examine the model for the sensitivity of the vibration response to different input parameters, such as the mechanical properties of the soil, or the nonlinearities and distributions of the reinforcing CNT phase, as useful for design purposes and benchmark solutions for more complicated computational studies on the topic.
Keywords: CNT; elastic foundations; nonlinear free vibration; nonlinear frequency; shallow shell structures.