Coupled Thermo-Piezoelectric-Mechanical Model for Smart Composite Laminates

TLDR: In this article, a coupled thermo-piezoelectric model of composite laminates with surface-bonded actuators, subjected to externally applied loads, is developed, and the governing differential equations are obtained by applying the principleof freeenergy and variational techniques.

Abstract: A coupled thermo ‐piezoelectric ‐mechanical model of composite laminates with surface bonded piezoelectric actuators, subjected to externally applied loads, isdeveloped. The governing differential equationsare obtained by applying the principleof freeenergy and variational techniques. A higher-order displacement e eld is used to accuratelycapturethetransversesheareffectsinlaminatedcompositeplatesofarbitrarythickness.Adoubletriangular function expansion that satise es the boundary conditions is used as a solution. Both thermal and mechanical loads are considered, and the effect of actuation is studied. Composite laminates of various thickness and lengths are analyzed.Thethermalcouplingisshowntohavesignie canteffectsinbothquasi-staticandactiveresponseanalyses. Nomenclature aT = cE=T0 bij = dielectric permittivity cE = heat capacity cijkl = elastic constants Di = electric displacement vector di = thermal‐piezoelectric coupling constants Ei = electric e eld eijk = piezoelectric constants kij = thermal‐mechanical coupling constants L1 = displacement operator matrix L2 = piezoelectric operator matrix l1 = thermal operator vector N1