Free vibration of Euler and Timoshenko nanobeams using boundary characteristic orthogonal polynomials

Vibration analysis of nonlocal nanobeams based on Euler–Bernoulli and Timoshenko beam theories is considered. Nonlocal nanobeams are important in the bending, buckling and vibration analyses of beam-like elements in microelectromechanical or nanoelectromechanical devices. Expressions for free vibration of Euler–Bernoulli and Timoshenko nanobeams are established within the framework of Eringen’s nonlocal elasticity theory. The problem has been solved previously using finite element method, Chebyshev polynomials in Rayleigh–Ritz method and using other numerical methods. In this study, numerical results for free vibration of nanobeams have been presented using simple polynomials and orthonormal polynomials in the Rayleigh–Ritz method. The advantage of the method is that one can easily handle the specified boundary conditions at the edges. To validate the present analysis, a comparison study is carried out with the results of the existing literature. The proposed method is also validated by convergence studies. Frequency parameters are found for different scaling effect parameters and boundary conditions. The study highlights that small scale effects considerably influence the free vibration of nanobeams. Nonlocal frequency parameters of nanobeams are smaller when compared to the corresponding local ones. Deflection shapes of nonlocal clamped Euler–Bernoulli nanobeams are also incorporated for different scaling effect parameters, which are affected by the small scale effect. Obtained numerical solutions provide a better representation of the vibration behavior of short and stubby micro/nanobeams where the effects of small scale, transverse shear deformation and rotary inertia are significant.