Low-frequency dispersion of fundamental waves in anisotropic piezoelectric plates

Low-frequency onset of the fundamental branches in piezoplates is studied with a view to identify the impact of piezoelectric coupling. General analytical expressions for the zero- and leading-order terms of the velocity versus wavenumber expansion in an anisotropic homogeneous piezoplate are obtained. On this ground, it is shown what types of anisotropy and electric boundary conditions enable the onset parameters of fundamental branches to be piezoactive. Particular attention is given to the linear dispersion at the origin of two upper fundamental branches. This property is entirely caused by the piezoeffect, being ruled out for elastic plates. An invariant hierarchy is established between the zero-order velocities of the fundamental waves under different electric boundary conditions in homogeneous and functionally graded plates. It is shown that some of these velocities in a metallized plate become piezoactive specifically if the piezoplate is functionally graded. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.