Modeling of adaptive composites including debonding (Q1303005)

The authors present a modelling of adaptive composites including debonding. Debonding of piezoelectric actuators in composite structures can result in significant changes in static and dynamic response. Here the refined higher-order theory for laminates with embedded/surface-bonded piezoelectric sensors and actuators is extended to incorporate the debonding of transducers by partitioning the laminate into debonded and non-debonded regions. In the analytical formulation, the stress-free boundary conditions at the free surface are satisfied. The continuity conditions between the debonded and non-debonded regions, which are nontrivial for higher-order theory, are formulated and implemented using penalty approach in finite element method. The authors observe that the computational model is efficient, and correlation with experimental results is quite good. Numerical results indicate significant changes in natural frequencies and mode shapes due to debonded transducers.