Finite element analysis of double nanobeams having Pasternak foundation in between

Single/double nanobeams (nanowires) have attractive features including reduced sizes and high flexibility and conductivity. As a result, many engineering applications such nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) and biomedical devices have been developed in technology industries. Due to the extremely high surface area-to-volume ratio, the properties of nanobeams have size-dependent behavior. In this paper, elastically connected double nanobeams are represented on Eringen’s nonlocal elasticity theory. Each nanobeam of double beam is modeled as Euler-Bernoulli beam and the interconnecting layer is represented by a Pasternak’s elastic foundation model. A four-node double-beam finite element with eight degrees of freedom using approximate functions to interpolate transverse displacements and rotations is derived where both stiffness matrix and load vector are explicitly shown. The present FEM solution is validated by numerical examples where the influence of effects of dimensionless small-scale parameters, boundary conditions, and shear parameter of Pasternak foundation on displacements and stress resultants of double nanobeams are investigated.