Thermopiezoelectricity in control of flexible structures

Quasi-static thermopiezoelectric equations and the finite element method are used to model the piezoelectric media under thermal effects. The resulting finite element equations are employed in the control of flexible structures by the piezoelectric materials. An example system consisting of a cantilever beam structure and a pair of piezoelectric actuators is taken. The static deflection of the beam due to voltages applied to the actuator pair is found both theoretically and numerically. The system is then subjected to mechanical and thermal disturbances in order to study the control effectiveness of the actuators for different actuator locations. It is numerically observed that the thermal field has effects on the closed-loop performance of the system and that the piezoelectric actuators which are closer to the fixed end of the beam perform better in damping the structural vibrations than those which are further away from the fixed end.