Piezoelectric ceramics are often used as actuators in smart structures technology. In the vast majority of papers dealing with this topic only linear constitutive relations are used. However, the electric field‐strain relations of such actuators show hysteretic behaviour, which means that the piezoelectric coupling coefficient is not constant. In this study the hysteresis of a mechanically unconstrained actuator is obtained using the Michelson interferometry. The hysteretic behaviour is modelled by a Preisach model. Using these experimental data, for the modelling of an active structure with embedded piezoelectric actuators the actual coupling coefficient can then be determined with the help of the Preisach model. With this procedure the actuation strain of an embedded actuator, including the physical nonlinearities, can be calculated using the material characteristics obtained for an unconstrained actuator. For an experimental validation of the method outlined above, a Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) actuator is characterised experimentally and then glued to a cantilever beam. Then, the tip displacement of the actuated beam is determined experimentally and simulated numerically using the above method. The experimental and numerical results agree reasonably well if the shear lag due to the bonding layer between the actuator and the structure is taken into consideration. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Piezoelectric ceramics are often used in active structures for shape and vibration control. Since the operation range is not limited to small signals the nonlinear behaviour of the actuator under high electric loads has to be known. There are several approaches in literature to model the hysteretic effects, each having its assets and drawbacks. When a model is able to reproduce the minor loops of the strain -electric field hysteresis, it often lacks the consideration of stress dependence which is fundamental for actuators attached to elastic structures. On the other hand constitutive models which take into account all ferroelectric and ferroelastic effects are not capable of representing the minor hystereses in acceptable calculation times. In this work a phenomenological constitutive model is verified using the experimental data of an active plate structure. Therefore, the ceramic is characterised under mechanically unconstrained conditions and afterwards attached onto a steel plate. The bonding to the substructure leads to a mechanical stress depending on the actuation state of the ceramic.

Magnetostrictive materials can be used as actuators in smart structures technology. The relation between induced strain and the applied magnetic field is nonlinear and shows hysteretic behaviour. Thus the magnetomechanical coupling coefficient is not constant and should be defined as a function of strain or magnetic field in computations. In this study the hysteresis of a mechanically unconstrained actuator is determined using the Michelson interferometry. The hysteretic behaviour is modelled phenomenologically by a Preisach model. Using these experimental data for the modelling of an active structure with embedded magnetostrictive actuators, the actual coupling coefficient can be determined utilising the Preisach model. With this procedure the actuation strain of an embedded actuator, including the physical nonlinearities, can be calculated using the material characteristics obtained with an unconstrained actuator. For the determination of the actual coupling coefficient a strain-and field-dependent approach is used. For an experimental validation of the method outlined above, a magnetostrictive actuator is characterised experimentally and then applied to a cantilever aluminium beam. Then, the tip displacement of the actuated beam is measured with a laser triangulation sensor and compared with the numerical results.

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