Bending analysis of sandwich and laminated composite plates containing piezoelectric layers by improved global-local theory

In the present study, A finite element method based on the mixed theory is developed for the coupled-field analysis of sandwich and laminated plates containing piezoelectric layers. The concept of mixed theory is that the mechanical component is modeled by the global–local theory which satisfies the free surface conditions and the geometric continuity conditions at interfaces, whereas the electric field is modeled with layerwise theory. In the present theory, The global displacement components are assumed to be linear and the local components are considered to be piecewise linear. The transverse shear stresses are derived based on the three-dimensional theory of elasticity instead of the constitutive equations.
Accuracy of the present approach has been verified by comparing the present results with those of the three-dimensional theory of elasticity , the higher-order global–local and layerwise shear deformation theory available in the literature. The numerical examples analysis show that the present theory is suitable in predicting coupled behaviors of sandwich and laminated plates containing piezoelectric layers under mechanical and electric loadings.