Analysis of nonlinear electroelastic continua with electric conduction

This thesis presents the nonlinear theory for large deformation electroelastic continua with electric conduction. This theory is suitable for modeling actuator and sensor devices composed of deformable, electromechanically coupled, highly insulating materials. Consistency is proven between the large deformation theory and the classical Poynting vector based piezoelectric small deformation theory, extended for electric conduction. A result is that electric body forces, realized mathematically as electric surface tractions, are retained in the small deformation approximation. A finite element formulation is presented suitable for performance analysis of deformable electromechanical actuator and sensor devices composed of highly insulating materials with nonlinear response functions, under the small deformation approximation. Results demonstrate the significant cumulative effects of a weak electric current flow for electric voltage DC offset loading of a highly electrically insulating composite device.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

1999

Author dc:creator

• Harper, John E. (John Edward), 1973-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Nesbit W. Hagood IV.

• Aeronautics and Astronautics

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/50076

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/50076