An Efficient Variable-Thickness Sandwich Structure for Dynamic Analysis of Composite Plates for Prefabricated Construction Applications

The research introduces a new efficient variable thickness sandwich structure for the dynamic stability analysis of composite plates, specifically for prefabricated construction applications. The main feature of the sandwich plate is two face layers made of graphene platelet reinforced composite (GPLRC) nanocomposite material, with a polymer core layer sandwiched in between. A modified Halpin–Tsai approach is used to obtain the material parameters of the composite layers for the analysis. The dynamic behavior is simulated by the higher-order shear deformation theory, where both shear strain and normal deformation effects are considered, using appropriate shape functions for precise representation. The dynamic stability of the system is obtained through Hamilton’s principle, which brings forth the governing equations of motion. For the numerical solution of the problem, a two-dimensional differential quadrature (DQ) technique together with the Gauss–Chebyshev–Lobatto function is used. Furthermore, the research combines a layer-wise approach to study the behavior of each layer individually and utilizes the Laplace transform method to streamline the boundary conditions and thereby increase the overall solution method. The findings indicate core thickness variation to be the major factor determining the dynamic stability of composite plates and thus a valuable input for the design of high-performance sandwich structures in prefabricated construction. The model presented is of a very accurate nature and has high computational efficiency, making it a very good candidate for real-world applications in advanced engineering areas. This research paper establishes a foundation for advanced engineering fields to take advantage of new techniques for improving the dynamic performance of composite sandwich tapered plates in prefabricated construction, thereby speeding up the process of making more durable and sustainable building materials.