Dynamic fatigue behavior of cracked piezoelectric ceramics in three-point bending under AC electric fields

This paper describes an experimental and analytical study on the dynamic fatigue behavior of cracked piezoelectric ceramics under AC electric fields. Constant load-rate testing was conducted in three-point bending with the single-edge precracked-beam specimens. The crack was created normal to the poling direction. The effects of AC electric fields and loading-rate on the fracture load were examined. A phenomenological model of domain wall motion was also used in finite element computation, and the energy release rate for the permeable crack model was calculated. The effect of AC electric fields on the critical energy release rate was then examined. The results suggest that (1) the fracture load of PZT ceramics decreases as the load-rate decreases; (2) an overall decrease in the fracture load occurs when testing under AC electric fields; and (3) the critical energy release rate is not very affected by the AC electric fields.