Semianalytical finite element analysis of active damping in smart cylindrical shells

Active damping in a smart cylindrical shell using piezoelectric sensors/act uators is studied. The electrodes on the sensors/actuators are spatially sh aped to reduce spillover between circumferential modes. A three-noded, isop arametric, semianalytical finite element is developed and used to model the cylindrical shell. The element is based on a mixed piezoelectric shell the ory that makes a single layer assumption for the displacements and a layerw ise assumption for the electric potential. The effects of axial and circumf erential mode number, length to radius ratio, radius to thickness ratio of the shell, percentage of the area of the shell covered with piezoelectric m aterial, and the location of the collocated sensor/actuator on the shell on the active damping ratio of the shell are studied.