A novel isogeometric layerwise element for piezoelectric analysis of laminated plates with straight/curvilinear fibers

Official URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cma.2022.115440

This study presents an isogeometric layerwise element, L-IGA based on the principle of virtual displacement theory to model the bending behavior of laminated smart composite plates integrated with piezoelectric layers. Instead of using Lagrangian or Hermitian type polynomials encountered in standard finite element technology, L-IGA utilizes high-order Non-Uniform Rational B-Splines (NURBS) functions for both in-plane and through-the-thickness discretization of the geometry and the kinematic variables. Additionally, it allows different numbers of NURBS degrees and elements to be used for each patch through the thickness of the plate. In this way, exact geometry, and highly accurate solutions with rapid convergence for the benchmark electromechanical problems in the literature have been guaranteed by using L-IGA analysis. The precision of the results is meticulously verified by 3-D Ansys SOLID226 finite elements and analytical solutions. Thus, the L-IGA element can be adopted for computationally efficient and accurate static analysis of laminated plates having straight/curvilinear fibers for piezoelectric actuator and sensor configurations.