Higher-order coupled and uncoupled analyses of free edge effect in piezoelectric laminates under mechanical loadings

In this paper, an analytical solution is presented to study the effect of electromechanical coupling on the interlaminar stresses at the free edges of piezoelectric laminated plates. The finite width laminated piezoelectric plates are subjected to uniform axial strain. The equilibrium equations along with the appropriate boundary conditions are obtained by choosing a suitable displacement field based on fourth-order shear-thickness deformation theory and using the principle of minimum total potential energy. The analytical solutions are obtained and the results are compared with those available in the literature. It is found that the interlaminar stresses at the free edges are significantly higher in the coupled case for cross-ply laminates, whereas the coupling effect for symmetric angle-ply laminates is of minor significance.