The deflection of a simply supported plate induced by piezoelectric actuators

The coupling effects between the mechanical and electric properties of piezoelectric materials have drawn significant attention for their potential applications as sensors and actuators. In this investigation, two piezoelectric actuators are symmetrically embedded in a simply supported plate. Electric voltages with the same amplitude and opposite sign are applied to the two symmetric piezoelectric actuators, resulting in the bending effect on the plate. The bending moment is derived by using the theories of elasticity and piezoelectricity. The analytical solution of the flexural displacement of a simply supported plate subjected to the bending moment is solved by using the plate theory. The analytical solution is compared with the finite element solution to show the validation of present approach. The effects of the size and location of the piezoelectric actuators on the response of a plate are presented through a parametric study.