A 3-D model of periodic piezoceramic composites

In this paper we describe three-dimensional model able to preview the behavior of a piezoceramic composite of any periodic structure. The model is able to describe the composite vibrations both in the thickness and in the two transversal directions and the coupling with the load and the backing. The single piezoelectric element of the composite is described, in the frequency domain, by a 7×7 matrix computed by an approximated 3-D piezoelectric element model. In order to simulate the total composite we compute, by the same model, a 7×7 matrix describing the single not-piezoelectric element. To foresee the behavior of the overall composite, we develop a specific algorithm which, using these two matrices, builds the overall matrix of the composite. This algorithm has been numerically checked to verify its results. Finally, we built a simple composite and compared the measured electrical input impedance with the computed one, finding a satisfactory agreement