Assessment of piezoelectric layers and boundary conditions influence on the behaviour of hybrid composite plates with different layups

Abstract

In the present paper, six-layer hybrid composite panels, made of four-layered laminate and two facings of piezoelectric material were studied. Different configurations of laminate layers and different boundary conditions were considered. The Numerical simulations using Finite Element Method were performed with the commercial system Abaqus, which allowed for modelling the phenomena of electromechanical coupling, both in static and dynamic cases. Firstly, static deflection of the plates induced by the applied voltage on the external facings was determined with numerical methods (FEM). In addition, the deflections at different voltages were compared. The results of static calculations were validated with those published by other authors. The performed simulations have confirmed the adequacy of the FEM model for the simulation at electromechanical coupling. In the second stage, numerical analysis of the system with piezoelectric effect (open system) and without the piezoelectric effect (closed system) was performed. The presented FEM models are expected to contribute to analyses of other hybrid structural elements exhibiting electromechanical coupling.[b]Keywords[/b]: FEM, electro-mechanical coupling, piezoelectric effect, fibrous laminate, natural frequencies, hybrid beam, PZT, actuators

Keywords

• Finite Element Method FEM
• electro-mechanical coupling
• piezoelectric effect
• fibrous laminate
• natural frequencies
• hybrid beam