On the electroelastic behaviour of a thin piezoelectric actuator attached to an infinite host structure

In this paper, we examine the coupled electromechanical behaviour of a thin piezoceramic actuator embedded in or bonded to an elastic medium under inp lane mechanical and electrical loadings. The actuator is characterized by a n electroelastic line model with the poling direction being perpendicular t o its length. The theoretical formulations, governing this electromechanica lly coupled problem, are based upon the use of singular integral equations in terms of an interfacial shear stress. A square-root singularity of the r esulting shear stress is found at the tips of the actuator. A new shear str ess singularity factor (SSSF) was then obtained by solving these singular i ntegral equations using Chebyshev polynomial expansions. Typical examples a re provided to show the effect of the geometry of the actuator, the materia l combination and interfacial debonding upon the shear stress singularity f actor. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.