Scattering of antiplane shear waves by a finite crack in piezoelectric laminates (Q1300704)

Recent researches deal with piezoelectric devices for structural vibration suppression. For the purposes of active vibration and noise control, piezoelectric devices have shown great potential as sensors or actuators. They are small and lightweight, and can be easily bonded to or into any structure. In some of these application, a major concern in practical operations has been mechanical and dielectric failure of piezoelectric layers. Fracture can lead to undesirable mechanical and dielectric responses for these advanced piezoelectric materials. In this paper, following the dynamic theory of linear piezoelectricity, the authors consider the scattering of horizontally polarized shear waves by a finite crack in a piezoelectric composite laminate. The crack is normal to the interfaces, where the piezoelectric layer in bonded. Both cases of a partially broken layer and a completely broken layer are studied. Fourier transforms are used to reduce the problem to the solution of a pair of dual integral equations. The propagation of symmetric first mode is studied numerically, and the dynamic stress intensity factor and the dynamic energy release rate and obtained for some piezoelectric laminates.