Adali, Sarp.Radebe, Isaac Sfiso.2015-10-052015-10-0520142014http://hdl.handle.net/10413/12496M. Sc. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2014.Nanostructures are fast becoming the material of choice consequentially opening a new research frontier. Classical continuum computational techniques have proven insu cient in modelling the mechanical behaviour of these structures. The surface and nonlocal e ects contributes to the size dependence of nanomaterial mechanical properties. Convex modelling techniques are employed in dealing with uncertainties associated with the lack of accurate measurements of nanostructures, molecular defects, and manufacturing anomalies. Numerical results are produced relating the level of uncertainty to maximum de ection for the nonlocal nanobeam, as well as determining the lowest buckling load subject to the e ects of material uncertainty for nanoplates.en-ZANanostructures.Nanotechnology.Convex sets.Theses--Mechanical engineering.Thesis