Mixed piezoelectric plate elements with direct evaluation of transverse electric displacement

A mixed variational statement for the analysis of layered structures under the effect of mechanical and electrical fields is proposed in this paper to develop finite plate elements that permit the direct evaluation of transverse electrical displacement D-z. The original Reissner mixed variational theorem, RMVT, has been modified to account for 'only' interlaminar continuous D-z. Continuity of mechanical variables, such as transverse shear and normal stress components, has been discarded to provide a simple 'electrical' modified RMVT, here called RMVT-D-z. Finite element implementations are made via the Carrera unified formulation. The advantages of the proposed approach have been demonstrated through numerical comparisons with classical formulations based on the principle of virtual displacements as well as with available 3D solutions. Copyright (C) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.