Application of smart materials in automotive structures

The demand in the automobile sector for greater comfort in the vehicle is of high importance alongside the requirements for a low emission of pollutants. With regard to a higher comfort the reduction of the interior noise level is mostly associated with a higher structural weight. It is for this reason that the application of so-called intelligent materials is appropriate since these can be used to realize an overall adaptive system. The materials under discussion are piezoceramic foils and fibres which can easily be fitted to thin-walled structures like a roof panel or a dash-board. Investigations have shown that the knowledge of the dynamic structural behaviour is vital to the design of an adaptive system. Mostly this knowgledge can only be gained by using sophisticated numerical models associated with a great effort of computing time. In order not to expand the computing time a model has been developed which allows a fast assessment of the dynamic behaviour of a structure with integrated smart materials. The results of this model are presented for a flat steel plate with bonded piezoceramic foils. The accuracy of this model is being proved by the presentation of experimental results.