Electroelastic Analysis of Piezoelectric Composite Laminates by Boundary Integral Equations

Abstract

A boundary integral representation for the electroelastic state in piezoelectric composite laminates subjected to axial, bending, torsion, shear/bending and electric loadings is proposed. The governing equations are presented in terms of electromechanical generalized variables by using a suitable matrix notation. So, the three-dimensional electroelasticity solution for piezoelectric composite laminates is generated from a set of two partially coupled differential equations defined on the cross section of each individual ply within the laminate. These ply equations are linked through the interface conditions, which allow to restore the model of the laminate as a whole. For this model the corresponding boundary integral representation and the relative boundary integral equations are deduced and their features are discussed. The formulation presented lay out the analytical foundation for the development of the multidomain boundary element method to numerically determine the electromechanical response of piezoelectric composite laminates. Numerical results showing the characteristics of the method are given and the fundamental behavior of piezoelectric composite laminates is pointed out for both mechanical and electrical loads.