Interacting circular inclusions in antiplane piezoelectricity (Q1302817)

The authors investigate the problem of multiple piezoelectric circular inclusions, bounded to a piezoelectric intelligent material matrix of infinite extent, within the framework of linear piezoelectricity. Both the matrix and the inclusions are assumed to possess a hexagonal crystal symmetry of class 6 mm, and are subjected to electromechanical loadings which produce in-plane electric field and out-of-plane mechanical displacement. Based on the method of analytic continuation, a complex representation for the solution is obtained in series form, which can be built step by step for any finite number of inclusions, starting from the solution of the corresponding homogeneous problem. Straight boundaries may also be treated by the same method. Three illustrations are then considered: two circular inclusions, a single inclusion embedded in a half-plane, and a piezoelectric matrix sandwiched between two inclusions. Numerical results are presented and discussed, and comparison is carried out with previous work.