On Piezoelectric Actuator Layers in Plates and Shells at Large Deflections

Several numerical examples are presented in which geometrical nonlinearity plays a considerable role when the actuation of piezolaminated plates and shells is considered. In each numerical example the comparison between linear and geometrically nonlinear approximations is drawn. For the numerical simulation of the actuation of piezolaminated shells a geometrically nonlinear finite shell element has been developed based on the total Lagrangian formulation. The strain-displacement relations are based on the assumptions of small strains and moderate rotations of the mid-surface normals. The displacement field in transverse direction is assumed to vary linearly according to the Reissner-Mindlin hypothesis.