Reduction of applied electric potential controlling thermoelastic displacement in a piezoelectric actuator (Q1970757)

This paper deals with the reduction of applied electric potential which controls the distribution of elastic displacements due to the temperature change in a multilayered plate. The plate consists of an isotropic steel plate onto which multiple piezoelectric ceramic layers of crystal glass 6mm are perfectly bonded. The piezothermoelastic response of multilayer plate is analyzed by means of the potential method, and the corresponding applied electric potential is derived. Numerical results are obtained for temperature, stresses and applied electric potential in the multilayered plate subjected to a heating on its bottom surface. The effects of the number and thickness of piezoelectric layers on the stresses and on the applied electric potential are examined, and the distributions of temperature and axial and shearing stresses are obtained on free and contact surfaces. The effect of electrodes is neglected, though it also could be taken into account. The results are physically realistic and appealing to engineers dealing with piezoelectric actuators.