Modal filtering properties of piezoelectric laminates with directional actuation

Abstract

A study of the modal filtering properties of piezoelectric laminates based on directional characteristics of actuation is presented. Piezoelectric laminates are often used to perform collocated vibration control of structural elements like flexible robot links. The relation between the directional properties of the piezoelectric actuation, and their influence on the excitation of vibration modes is specifically addressed. An example application shows that it is possible to design a multi-activelayer laminate to generate a specified in-plane force state with piezoelectric actuators of fixed directional characteristics. Several of these designs are used in the example to perform selective excitation of vibration modes, based only on the specified angles of actuation and without changing the actuator position on the structure.