Finite layer method in analyses of piezoelectric composite laminates Original Research Article

Two kinds of the finite layer method, i.e. semi-analytical finite layer method and spline finite layer method, are developed in three-dimensional analysis of rectangular composite laminates with actuator and sensor layers (piezoelectric materials). The generalized displacement functions are constructed, and the generalized stiffness matrices are derived in explicit form, which are especially convenient for application in engineering. Numerical examples are presented and compared with available results to demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the present method. The finite strip formulation for two-dimensional problems of piezoelectric laminates and the finite layer formulation for three-dimensional analysis of orthotropic and isotropic elastic laminates are the degenerated cases of the present formulation.