Analysis of PZT/PVDF Actuated Cantilever Beams

Recent advancement in the field of distributed sensor/actuators has led to the development of new structures called “smart structure”. A smart/intelligent structure is able to sense, respond and control its own characteristics and states, so as to significantly improve its operational performance. A structure becomes smart when the load bearing part also called the substrate is composed of conventional structural material and is integrated with the distributed actuation/sensor maybe piezoelectric, shape memory alloys, electrostrictive materials, magnetostrictive materials etc. In the present work, a systematic modelling technique is proposed for static and dynamic analysis of beam coupled with piezoelectric sensors/actuators by using the finite element method if formulation. The sensor/actuator layer made of a piezoelectric/polymer called PZT/PVDF is considered.