On the dynamic behavior of piezoelectric active repair by the boundary element method

Abstract

The dynamic behavior of piezoelectric active repair bonded on cracked structures is analyzed in this article. The boundary element code used to perform the simulations is implemented in the framework of piezoelectricity in order to model the coupling between the elastic and the electric fields, which represents the most important feature of piezoelectric media. The fracture mechanics problem, i.e. the crack, as well as the bonding layer between the host structure and the active patch is modeled by means of the multidomain technique provided with an interface spring model. More particularly, the spring interface model allows considering the bonding layer as a zero-thickness elastic ply characterized by normal and tangential stiffness constants. The crack is also modeled as an elastic interface characterized by vanishing stiffness. The dual reciprocity method (DRM) has been used in the present time-dependent application for the approximation of the domain inertia terms. Numerical analyses have been carried out in order to characterize the dynamic repairing mechanism of the assembled structure by means of the computation of the dynamic stress intensity factors and discussions are presented to highlight the effect of the inertial forces on the fracture mechanics behavior of the overall assembled structure.