Damped dynamic behavior of an advanced piezoelectric sandwich plate

Abstract In this paper, damped dynamic deflections of an advanced piezoelectric sandwich plate (APSP) subjected to thermo-electro-mechanical loads have been studied using a meshless method. In the considered APSP, two active piezoelectric layers are attached on to the faces of a passive advanced structure consisting of two thin graphene reinforced nanocomposite (GRNC) layers and a thick porous polymeric core. In GRNC layers, graphene content is assumed to be varied according to functional distribution profiles. Using modified Halpin-Tsai’ equations, temperature dependent material properties of nanocomposite layers have been determined. Reddy’s third order theory of plates (called TSDT) is utilized to obtain the coupled governing equations, and MLS shape functions are adopted in the meshless solution. The influences of graphene content, porosity, temperature, electro-mechanical loading and structural damping on dynamic deflection behavior have been investigated. The results reveal that adding graphene volume fraction from 3% to 7% significantly affects the damping ratio, settling time and dynamic response of APSPs. However, further addition of graphene content has little effect on those responses. Moreover, embedding more pores in the core layer remarkably changes the damped dynamic behavior of APSPs due to a significant reduction in structural weight and a slight decrease in structural stiffness.