Nonlinear free vibration of nanotube with small scale effects embedded in viscous matrix

•The period between two peak values extends as the time increases.•The matrix elastic stiffness can affect the nonlinear vibration properties during the whole period.•The nonlinear vibration response of the nanotube can be influenced by the small scale coefficient, especially for the late stage.

In this paper, the nonlinear free vibration of the nanotube with damping effects is studied. Based on the nonlocal elastic theory and Hamilton principle, the governing equation of the nonlinear free vibration for the nanotube is obtained. The Galerkin method is employed to reduce the nonlinear equation with the integral and partial differential characteristics into a nonlinear ordinary differential equation. Then the relation is solved by the multiple scale method and the approximate analytical solution is derived. The nonlinear vibration behaviors are discussed with the effects of damping, elastic matrix stiffness, small scales and initial displacements. From the results, it can be observed that the nonlinear vibration can be reduced by the matrix damping. The elastic matrix stiffness has significant influences on the nonlinear vibration properties. The nonlinear behaviors can be changed by the small scale effects, especially for the structure with large initial displacement.