Flutter and divergence instability of axially-moving nanoplates resting on a viscoelastic foundation

Moving nanosystems often rest on amedium exhibiting viscoelastic behavior in engineering applications. The moving velocity and viscoelastic parameters of the medium usually have an interacting impact on the mechanical properties of nanostructures. This paper investigates the dynamic stability of an axially-moving nanoplate resting on a viscoelastic foundation based on the nonlocal elasticity theory. Firstly, the governing partial equations subject to appropriate boundary conditions are derived through utilizing the Hamilton's principle with the axial velocity, viscoelastic foundation, nonlocal effect and biaxial loadings taken into consideration. Subsequently, the characteristic equation describing the dynamic characteristics is obtained by employing the Galerkin strip distributed transfer function method. Then, complex frequency curves for the nanoplate are displayed graphically and the effects of viscoelastic foundation parameters, small-scale parameters and axial forces on divergence instability and coupled-mode flutter are analyzed, which show that these parameters play a crucial role in affecting nanostructural instability. The presented results benefit the designation of axially-moving graphene nanosheets or other plate-like nanostructures resting on a viscoelastic foundation.