Static Shape Control of Composite Plates Using a Slope-Displacement-Based Algorithm

An intuitive approach for the determination of voltage distribution in the application to shape control of smart structures using piezoelectric actuators is presented. This novel approach introduces slope as the fine-tuning criterion on top of the common displacement-based shape control. The algorithm, called the perturbation buildup voltage distribution is based on an iterative approach inspired by a previous algorithm on displacement control. This method aims to provide a means of targeting the desired shape of a structure with a higher-order criterion such as slope. A natural consequence of this method is the smoothing of the resultant structure. This effect will be illustrated by numerical examples. Iterative parameters are varied to investigate favorable choices of the parameters. Results show that the slopes of the structure can be improved, but at a tolerable expense of the displacement criteria. Another result of practical interest is the reduction of internal stresses compared to cases using pure displacement shape control.