COUPLED LAYERWISE ANALYSIS OF THERMOPIEZOELECTRIC COMPOSITE BEAMS

Previously developed discrete layer mechanics are extended to incorpor ate thermal effects to account for the complete coupled mechanical, el ectrical, and thermal response of piezoelectric composite beams, Therm al effects in both the elastic and piezoelectric media are captured at the material level. This unified representation leads to an inherent capability to model both the sensory and active responses of piezoelec tric composite beams in thermal environments. Finite element equations are developed and implemented for a beam element with linear shape fu nctions, Results from the current formulation are compared with result s from a conventional thermoelastic finite element analysis and classi cal beam theory. Additional numerical studies demonstrate capabilities of the current formulation to predict the thermal deformation of comp osite beams, as well as the active compensation of these thermal defor mations using piezoelectric structures, The corresponding sensory resp onse and the resultant stress state in the piezoelectric composite bea m are also presented.