Modelling and design of adaptive composite structures

Recent developments in adaptive composite structures with distributed piezo electric actuators and sensors have attracted significant attention in the research community due to their potential commercial benefits in a wide ran ge of applications such as vibration suppression, shape control, noise atte nuation and precision positioning. The complexity in the design and fabrication of the adaptive laminated comp osites has resulted in a need to develop reliable and refined models to stu dy their material properties and mechanical behaviour. Here, higher order f inite element formulations and an analytical closed form solution have been developed to study the mechanics of adaptive composite structures with emb edded and/or bonded piezoelectric actuators and sensors. Optimization of adaptive composite structures is also an important design a spect in order to maximize actuator performance. Two optimization schemes a re considered in this study where the design variables are the layer thickn ess, actuator size and location. To demonstrate the validity, usefulness and efficiency of the proposed mode ls several illustrative examples are presented and discussed. (C) 2000 Else vier Science S.A. All rights reserved.