Abaqus implementation of a corotational piezoelectric 3-node shell element with drilling degree of freedom

Abstract

Integration of classical, passive structures and active elements based on multi-functional materials resulted in a novel structural concept denoted as active structures. The new structural systems are characterized by self-sensing and actuation. Coupling the two distinctive features by means of a controller enables a number of exquisite functionalities such as vibration suppression, noise attenuation, shape control, structural health monitoring, etc. Reliable, accurate and highly efficient modeling tools are an important ingredient of the active structure design. This paper addresses the Abaqus implementation of a recently developed piezoelectric 3-node shell element. The element uses co-rotational formulation to cover geometric nonlinearities. Special techniques are used to address the issues originating from low-order interpolation functions. The discrete shear gap is used to resolve the shear locking, while the assumed natural deviatoric strain technique improves the membrane behavior. Examples are computed in Abaqus upon implementation of the developed element.