EXACT-SOLUTIONS FOR STATIC ANALYSIS OF INTELLIGENT STRUCTURES

Exact solutions for static analysis of simply supported rectangular pl ate-type intelligent structures are presented. The intelligent structu re proposed here is composed of a laminated substrate of graphite/epox y composite coupled with distributed sensor and actuator layers of a b iaxially polarized piezoelectric polymer, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVD F). The study aims at investigating the capability of the actuator and sensor layers to cause and sense the deformations, respectively, of t he substrate of the intelligent structure. The results show that the e ffectiveness of the piezoelectric actuator layer to cause induced stra in actuation in the structure significantly increases with the decreas e in the length to thickness ratio of the substrate.