Numerical Evaluation of Effective Properties of PZT-5A/Epoxy Smart Piezoelectric Composite

Abstract

Here, finite element method (FEM) has been employed to determine the effective properties of the active fiber composite (AFC) consists of a circular cross-section piezoelectric fiber (PZT-5A) in a non-piezoelectric polymeric matrix (epoxy) as a representative volume element (RVE). Six simulation runs with adjusted boundary conditions and appropriate mechanical-electrical loading were executed. Boundary conditions firmly control the simulation process. Homogenization approach was used to obtain the average value of the coefficients in the whole of RVE. Finally, eleven electromechanical coefficients including; six stiffnesses (${\text{C}}_{11}^{\text{eff}}$, ${\text{C}}_{12}^{\text{eff}}$, ${\text{C}}_{13}^{\text{eff}}$, ${\text{C}}_{33}^{\text{eff}}$, ${\text{C}}_{44}^{\text{eff}}$, and ${\text{C}}_{66}^{\text{eff}}$), three piezoelectric (${\text{e}}_{13}^{\text{eff}}$, ${\text{e}}_{33}^{\text{eff}}$, and ${\text{e}}_{66}^{\text{eff}}$) and two dielectric constants (${\upvarepsilon }_{11}^{\text{eff}}$, ${\upvarepsilon }_{33}^{\text{eff}}$) were evaluated. The adequate accuracy of the analysis was approved by comparing the calculated coefficients with the reported analytical and numerical data.