Consistent Methodology for the Modeling of Piezolaminated Shells

A consistent methodology is developed and presented for the modeling of the static and dynamic response of anisotropic piezolaminated shells with spatially discrete sensors and actuators, The theory on which the methodology is based is general and can be applied to any piezolaminated shell within the confines of the Kirchhoff-Love thin shell theory, The methodology provides effective tools for replacing the piezoelectric induced-strain loading of the structure with an equivalent mechanical loading. Additionally, it yields the governing equations for the static and dynamic structural response to piezoelectric loading. An indexing technique for structural, actuating, and sensing laminae is proposed, Nondimensional coefficients, which illustrate the actuating capability of the piezoactuators, as well as their relative stiffnesses, are used. The general methodology is applied to laminates with one structural lamina with piezoelectric actuators bonded to one or both of its surfaces. The analytical results are compared with results yielded by the ANSYS(R) finite element program for a rectangular isotropic plate and a cylindrical panel. The plate ease was also investigated experimentally. Excellent agreement is demonstrated between the finite element, experimental, and analytical results.