Wave propagation control in smart structures with shunted piezoelectric patches

The issue of wave propagation control in smart structures using shunted piezoelectric patches with negative capacitance is addressed in this work. The capability of tailoring the dynamic behavior of the structure in a large frequency range makes this technique extremely interesting for numerous industrial applications. In order to gain insight into this control technique, numerical investigations are firstly carried out. The Wave Finite Element (WFE) approach is firstly developed as a prediction tool for wave propagation characteristics such as dispersion curves and modal shapes in slender structures. The performance of shunted piezoelectric patches on the control of wave propagation is investigated numerically with the associated Diffusion Matrix Model (DMM) that can provide reflection and transmission coefficients of specific wave modes. Optimizations are subsequently carried out to obtain optimal electrical and geometrical parameters in the coupled system and gain maximal effect of the shunted piezoelectric patches on wave propagation control.