Semi-analytical method for pin-loaded joint contact in anisotropic piezoelectric plates

Pin or bolt-loaded joints are commonly used to connect and assembly different components of structures in various engineering applications, which may made of anisotropic piezoelectric composites. Analyzing stress concentration and deformation around holes with accuracy and efficiency is crucial for ensuring safe and effective structural designs. To address this need, this paper introduces a fast and efficient semi-analytical method (SAM) for solving contact problems in pin-loaded joints within an anisotropic piezoelectric plate. The method relies on the surface Green's function for anisotropic piezoelectric plates subjected to generalized concentrated loads applied at the boundary of the hole. It applies to different contact scenarios in pin-loaded joints, including interference fit, perfect fit, and clearance fit contact. In these cases, the plate is made of anisotropic piezoelectric composite materials, and the pin may experience mechanical loads, electric charges, or both. The method also accounts for frictional contact surface, which can be either insulating or conducting. A key advantage of the proposed SAM is its analytical evaluation of influence matrices, which enhances both computational efficiency and accuracy. The method's accuracy is verified through comparisons with existing analytical solutions. Additionally, parametric studies on the effects of pin/hole size, frictional coefficient, material properties, mechanical load, electrical charge, and insulating/conducting contact conditions are presented, which offer valuable insights for designing smart structures with anisotropic piezoelectric composite materials.