Computational modeling of rate-dependent domain switching in piezoelectric materials

In this contribution a micromechanically motivated model for rate-dependent switching effects in piezoelectric materials is developed. The proposed framework is embedded into a three-dimensional finite element setting whereby each element is assumed to represent an individual grain. Related dipole (polarization) directions are thereby initially randomly oriented at the element level to realistically capture the originally un-poled state of grains in the bulk ceramics. The onset of domain switching processes is based on a representative energy criterion and combined with a linear kinetics theory accounting for time-dependent propagation of domain walls during switching processes. In addition, grain boundary effects are incorporated by making use of a macromechanically motivated probabilistic approach. Standard volume-averaging techniques with respect to the response on individual grains in the bulk ceramics are later on applied to obtain representative hysteresis and butterfly curves under macroscopically uniaxial loading conditions at different loading frequencies. It turns out that the simulations based on the developed finite element formulation nicely match experimental data reported in the literature.