1. Introduction
In the early stages of design, beams models were commonly used because they provided fundamental insights into the behavior of structures. These models are also effective for verifying computational solutions. Various microbeam models have been developed with varying accuracies depending on the underlying assumption. The Euler–Bernoulli beam model is among the most important models. Microbeams are often integrated into microstructured systems and devices, such as sensors and actuators. The study of the vibration characteristics of microbeams has attracted significant attention owing to their wide application in MEMS and NEMS systems [
1,
2,
3,
4,
5].
Recent studies have addressed the thermoelastic behavior of microbeam vibrations propped by a Pasternak foundation. Notably, researchers, including those mentioned in [
6,
7,
8,
9,
10,
11], are at the forefront of these studies. Not only did Ansari and Hosseinzadeh [
12] and Attia and Salwa [
13] expand our understanding, but they also paved the way for many important publications. These researchers explored the vibration characteristics of a micro-scale beam subjected to a moving mass, thereby providing fundamental insights into the design and construction of structures. Furthermore, critical research has focused on the behavior of beams supported by dual-modulus elastic foundations, which have distinct properties relevant to design and related industries. This research, which is the subject of numerous theoretical studies [
14,
15,
16], is crucial because many structures and systems can be classified as foundation-supported beam structures. Geotechnical engineering plays a fundamental role in the study of soil-reinforced foundations. The multidisciplinary nature of this study is evident, as it draws on knowledge from fields such as structural engineering, geotechnical engineering, and materials science. Modeling soil responses to external forces is essential for providing a consistent and manageable approach for describing the complex stress-strain characteristics of most natural soils. The results of this study are practical because they demonstrate that increasing the Pasternak factor reduces the dynamic response of the micro-scale beam, resulting in a significantly faster beam setup procedure.
In addition, Adam and Abouelregal [
17], Saadatnia et al. [
18], and Hettiny [
19] explored the characteristics of a foundational model that integrates a two-phase viscous Pasternak approach with a standard method for analyzing the bending of beams on an elastic basis. Lord and Shulman [
20] and Chen et al. [
21] investigated the dynamic stiffness matrix of beams resting on elastic foundations and exposed them to a harmonic moving load. Kargarnovin and Younsian [
22] examined the dynamic behavior of beams supported by generalized Pasternak parameters under a randomly distributed harmonic moving load. Additionally, the Pasternak foundation is an essential tool for studying soil–structure interactions in various engineering contexts. Its ability to consider both compressive and shear stresses in soil makes it particularly useful for analyzing the behavior of beams and slabs on soil foundations, providing more accurate results than simpler models [
23,
24,
25].
The traditional model of heat conduction, grounded in Fourier’s law, has been extensively utilized to explain thermal transport in solids. For example, Lord and Shulman [
20] improved the Fourier model to incorporate a single-phase element, which accounts for the effects on a very short timescale. Biot and Willis [
26] established a classical thermoelasticity (CTE) model that offers a basic understanding of the material behavior under thermodynamic and elastic conditions. However, recent advances in nanotechnology and materials science have highlighted the limitations of this traditional method, particularly when applied to nano- and micro-scale systems. Consequently, several non-instantaneous heat conduction models have been developed to overcome these limitations. An important alternative is the dual-phase-lag (DPL) model, which has been used in various contexts, such as ultrafast laser heating and heat conduction in carbon nanotubes, as pointed out by Shomali et al. [
27]. An additional method is the three-phase-lag (TPL) model, which builds on the DPL model by presenting three distinct phase lags for heat flow, temperature variation, and thermal displacement variation, as discovered by Abouelregal [
28]. These models strive to capture nonclassical heat transfer phenomena that go beyond the traditional Fourier framework, including ballistic transport, phonon hydrodynamics, and coherent phonon transport, as considered by Su et al. [
29].
In recent decades, classical thermoelasticity has been used to accurately describe material behavior at micro- and nanoscales. This prompted the development of nonlocal thermoelasticity, a generalized theory that explains these size-dependent phenomena. Combining nonlocal elasticity with generalized thermoelasticity has led to the development of comprehensive nonlocal thermoelastic models. These models are essential for the accurate analysis of the thermomechanical behavior of a variety of advanced materials and structures, including thin films, nanowires, micro-scale beams, and functionally graded materials, which are increasingly used in micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMSs/NEMSs) [
30,
31,
32]. By incorporating nonlocal impacts, these theories provide more accurate predictions of the stress, strain, temperature, and deformation fields, which are critical for the reliable design and performance of miniature devices where surface and microstructural effects are important. Recent studies [
33,
34,
35] in this area have addressed specific applications such as the unified generalized thermoelastic formula for evaluating thermoelastic damping in micromechanical resonators. This study strengthens the existing literature on analytical solutions by providing a comprehensive investigation of thermoelastic vibrations in microbeams resting on dual-parameter foundations (DPF). In particular, this work builds upon and expands the analytical techniques utilized in related complex flow and symmetry problems, such as the implementation of Lie symmetry analysis and conservation laws to determine wave solutions for stochastic potential-(KdV) equations [
36], and the derivation of precise mathematical models for the unsteady rotational flow of fractional-order non-Newtonian fluids under boundary shear stress conditions [
37]. By combining these advanced analytical methodologies with generalized fractional three-phase-lag (FTPL) thermoelasticity model, this study provides crucial design criteria and new insights into the dynamic stability of MEMS/NEMS resonators where foundation stiffness and thermal inertial effects are closely related.
Based on these basic models, this study presents an advanced fractional three-phase-lag (TPL) model to address the limitations of previous approaches. The fractional three-phase-lag (TPL) model has emerged as an influential method for examining the thermoelastic interactions in a variety of materials and structures. When utilized for microbeam resonators, the TPL model offers significant insights into thermoelastic damping and its impact on resonator functionality, as examined by Kumar et al. [
38]. The incorporation of fractional calculus into thermoelastic theories by Abouelregal et al. [
39] resulted in more detailed models that effectively captured intricate heat transfer processes and mechanical interactions. These models have been effectively applied in previous studies [
40,
41] across different scenarios, such as functionally graded materials and nanobeams. The fractional TPL model provides enhanced approximations for heat flux, temperature gradients, and thermal displacement, integrating nonlocal effects and higher-order time derivatives, as reported by Abouelregal [
42]. The mathematical significance of the fractional-order method is further underscored by recent analytical advancements in heat transfer and fluid mechanics. For instance, the Prabhakar fractional derivative (PFD) approach has been successfully employed to derive generalized Mittag-Leffler kernel solutions for complex phenomena like free convection in Maxwell fluids [
43]. These sophisticated operators provide a versatile framework for describing anomalous transport processes that standard integer-order derivatives cannot capture. By aligning the current fractional three-phase-lag (FTPL) model with such rigorous developments, this study establishes a robust foundation for capturing the intricate nonlocal and memory-dependent thermoelastic interactions inherent in micro-scale structures. In the realm of microbeam vibrations on Pasternak parameters, the fractional TPL model can offer a more precise depiction of the thermoelastic behavior. This method enables the investigation of size-dependent influences, thermal influences, and the influence of basis parameters on the dynamic response of the small-scale beam. By combining the fractional TPL model with Pasternak’s rule, scientists can gain a deeper understanding of complex behavior, including thermal and mechanical aspects in microstructures, which could lead to improvements in the design of micro-electromechanical systems (MEMSs) and other microdevices. The practical effectiveness of fractional-order models is becoming increasingly evident across various scientific-fields due to their superior predictive capabilities for complex and time-varying systems. For example, fractional-order lag models in epidemiology effectively capture the effects of memory and genetic properties [
44,
45]. Adopting a similar framework for resonators in micro/nanoelectromechanical systems provides a rationale for using fractional derivatives instead of conventional ones. This approach offers a more realistic characterization of unconventional heat transfer and complex thermoelastic interactions in microstructures, providing crucial design criteria and new insights into the dynamic stability of micro-components.
The main innovation of this manuscript is the formulation and utilization of a novel fractional TPL model based on a two-parameter elastic foundation for the vibration analysis of generalized thermoelastic beams. Originating from a recent investigation into three-phase-lag (TPL) heat conduction with fractional configurations and operators, this model offers a novel perspective on the complex interaction between the thermal and mechanical properties of materials with intricate microstructures compared with traditional thermoelastic models, such as classical theories, which often fail to accurately predict thermal and mechanical responses at micro-scales or in materials exhibiting nonlocal effects and memory effects. These properly arranged models have difficulty describing anomalous diffusive or viscoelastic behaviors inherent in many advanced materials and micro/nanostructures. Additionally, this study creatively applied this model to examine the heat transfer in beams and conducted a comparative analysis of various thermoelastic models within this framework. Finally, it meticulously observes and graphically represents the impact of the fractional-order parameter , two-parameter elastic foundation, different thermoelastic models, and other physical field components on the vibration of the analyzed microbeam fields through visual comparisons.
2. Basic Equations of the Methodology
In this section, a rectangular beam (
Figure 1) with length
and thickness
is selected, and the cross-sectional area is calculated as (
). The beam’s axis is oriented along the
coordinate, while the
and
coordinates represent the width and thickness, respectively. This beam is constructed from a homogeneous, isotropic, and linearly elastic material, defined by its modulus of elasticity (
E) and Poisson’s ratio
. This was supported by a homogeneous elastic soil basis, which was modeled using three parameters. The basis model includes linear Winkler foundations
and shear foundations
.
In response to the limitations of the Winkler model, enhanced theories have been presented that incorporate different contact types, such as beams and shear layers, along Winkler springs [
46]. These theories aim to create a straightforward and practical model for depicting the basic medium. Models that consider these two factors are more precise than those that consider a single parameter. Notably, if the second parameter is disregarded, the mechanical modeling of the foundation simplifies the Winkler formula. The basis medium is assumed to be linear, homogeneous, and isotropic. Hetenyi [
19] and Kerr [
46] studied a beam propped by a Pasternak parameter, which included both spring and shear stiffness, and analyzed the interaction stress of the two-parameter basis when imperiled to a distributed load, as follows:
where w is the lateral deflection and
is the basic reaction per unit area.
The components of the displacement vector constructed based on Euler–Bernoulli beam theory [
47,
48] are:
We can apply Equation (2) to the 1D case. Thus, the constitutive equation is expressed as follows:
where
is the nonlocal axial stress,
is the nonlocal parameter,
is the modulus of elasticity,
is the type of nonlocal elasticity, and
is the change in temperature.
We can obtain the moment
from Equation (3), as follows:
In this context, when (
) is multiplied by the flexural rigidity of the beam (IE), the result is a genuine thermal moment consistent with the geometry and material properties of the beam. It represents an equivalent thermal “curvature” that accounts for the beam’s cross-section [
49,
50,
51] and
is given by:
The motion equation for the transverse response of the microbeam is represented as follows:
where
represents the density of the microbeam material and
represents the cross-sectional area of the microbeam.
Furthermore, as derived from Equation (4) and referenced in [
25], the moment of the microbeam can be accurately formulated as follows:
According to a previous study [
17] and using Equations (6) and (7), we obtain the equation of motion for the microbeam, as follows:
Equation (8) delineates a complex PDE that governs the transverse vibration of a micro-scale beam by integrating the mechanical, thermal, and foundation impacts. Each term in this equation represents a distinct physical phenomenon that contributes to the dynamic response of the beam [
52,
53].
Lord and Shulman [
20] described the heat conduction equation within the framework of generalized thermoelasticity theory via the following formula:
The coefficients and are properties of generalized thermoelastic theories, which allow a finite speed of heat propagation.
3. TPL Fractional-Order Heat Conduction Equation
The fundamental principle governing heat transfer is encapsulated in Fourier’s rule, establishing a direct association among the heat flow (
) and temperature variation (
), with the thermal conductivity (
) acting as the mediating parameter. This relationship can be expressed as follows:
As explained in [
20], this equation demonstrates that heat transfer occurs from regions of higher temperatures to those of lower temperatures; Green and Naghdi [
54,
55] described the general form of Equation (10) as follows, where
K* demonstrations the characteristic material constant of the theory
In view of the above developments in heat conduction models, Choudhuri [
56] proposed the TPL model by adding a new phase lag
in addition to the classical phase lags
and
for
and
for the
, as follows:
where
.
If divergence is applied to both sides of Equation (12), we obtain
The nonlocal generalized form of Equation (13) was obtained through series expansion based on the formal theory of fractional thermal hardness, as explained by Sherif et al. [
26]. This expansion results in the following constitutive relationship:
The Biot’s energy equation [
57], expressed in terms of the heat flux vector (
), is denoted as follows:
By incorporating the nonlocal generalized three-phase-lag constitutive relation (Equation (14)) into the energy equation (Equation (15)), the resultant fractional three-phase-lag heat conduction equation for the theory under deliberation is derived as
The constitutive relationship among temperature due to conduction (
) and absolute temperature (
) is as follows:
By substituting Equation (17) into the fractional three-phase-lag heat conduction equation (Equation (16)) and disregarding terms including Laplace operators of order greater than two, we derive the following equation, which facilitates the investigation of the coupled impacts of thermodynamic and conductive temperatures:
Additionally, as established by Gaurav and Kulkarni [
58], in the absence of internal heat generation (
) within the solid, the thermal conductivity of the TPL theory in the setting of Equation (18) is demarcated as follows:
The more accurate fractional-order three-phase-lag form in Equation (9) is derived via Equation (19), as expressed via the following formula:
where the fractional operators
,
,
in Equations (14), (16) and (18)–(20) are given by:
and
denotes a coefficient fractional order of the time derivative.
4. Analytical Solution
To derive an analytical solution, this study posits that the temperature increase is thermally insulating across the thickness and exhibits sinusoidal variation in that direction. The temperature distribution can be mathematically expressed as follows:
By substituting this temperature variation (Equation (22)) into the equation of motion (Equation (8)), the governing equation can be expressed as follows:
Applying Equations (7) and (22), the expression for the moment (
) is given by:
A generalized heat conduction equation can be formulated using Equations (20) and (22), as follows:
where the values of the parameters
and
are determined according to Equation (21).
For subsequent investigations, the following dimensionless variables were introduced:
By employing these dimensionless relations (Equation (26)), governing Equations (23)–(25) can be simplified as follows:
where the parameter
is calculated using Equation (21),
is defined by the fractional differential-operator
and the coefficients
to
are defined as follows:
In this context, the dimensionless equation of motion is Equation (27), the moment (M) within the small-scale beam is represented by Equation (28), and the dimensionless coupled heat conduction equation is Equation (29).
5. Initial and Boundary Conditions and Problem Solution
To address this problem, it is crucial to ascertain initial and boundary constraints. The initial homogeneous constraints are mathematically defined as follows:
We assume that both ends of the small-scale beam are a simply supported boundary, represented by
Moreover, we consider that the small-scale beam is thermally loaded by slope-type heating, resulting in
Here,
is a slope-type parameter and
is a constant. Additionally, the temperature at the end boundary must satisfy the following formula:
To solve this problem, we employed the Laplace transform, which is considered by the integral formula for the function
:
Applying the Laplace transform to both sides of Equations (27) and (28), and considering the homogeneous initial conditions defined by Equation (31), we derive the following field equations in the Laplace transform domain:
where the coefficients
to
are defined as:
By eliminating either
or
from Equation (32), the following formula is obtained:
where, in this equation,
,
and
are given by
Equation (38) can be further analyzed and expressed as:
in which
and
are the roots of
The accuracy of Equation (41) in the Laplace transform domain can be expressed as follows:
By integrating Equation (42) with Equation (36), we obtain
According to Equation (42), the displacement can be written as:
By substituting Equation (42) into Equation (37), we determine the solution for moment
, which is characterized as
Additionally, the strain was defined as
The Laplace transform adjusts boundary conditions (29)–(31) to the following order:
By incorporating Equation (42) into these boundary conditions, a set of six linear equations is determined, denoted as
The set of linear equations presented in Equations (48)–(50) was solved to determine the unknown parameters
,
, which determine the vibrational and thermal response of the small-scale beam. Numerical results relevant to physical field studies were obtained via the Riemann sum approximation technique or mathematical Laplace-inversion technique [
17,
59]. This system is an essential step in finding an analytical solution to the coupled thermoelasticity problem, as it ensures the stability and accuracy of the temperature (
), displacement (
), moment (
) and deflection (
). By approximating the inversion integral as a finite sum of exponential and trigonometric limits, the robustness of the model is confirmed, ensuring that the resulting wave propagation characteristics remain physically consistent with the fractional three-phase-lag (FTPL) model.