The modelling and design of smart structures using functionally graded materials and piezoelectrical sensor/actuator patches

Finite element formulations are derived for static and dynamic analysis and the control of functionally graded material (FGM) plates under environments subjected to a temperature gradient, using linear piezoelectricity theory and first-order shear deformation theory. The multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) system with four collocated sensors and actuators is applied to provide active feedback control of the integrated FGM plate in a closed loop system. The distributed piezoelectrical sensors monitor the structural deformation due to the direct piezoelectrical effect and the distributed actuators control the deformation via the converse piezoelectrical effect. Numerical results for the static and dynamic control have been presented for the FGM plate, which consists of zirconia and aluminum. The purpose of the examples, which consist of a FGM plate with four collocated sensors and actuators used as MIMO system, is to determine the optimum configurations of the sensor/actuator pairs under various thermal and mechanical load fields.