Modelling damping in piezoceramics: A comparative study

Abstract The progress in numerical methods and simulation tools promotes the use of inverse problems in material characterisation problems. A newly developed procedure can be used to identify the behaviour of piezoceramic discs over a wide frequency range using a single specimen via fitting simulated and measured impedances by optimising the underlying material parameters. Since there is no generally accepted damping model for piezoelectric ceramics, several mechanical damping models are examined for the material identification. Three models have been chosen and their ability to replicate the measured impedances is evaluated. On the one hand, the common Rayleigh model is considered as a reference. On the other hand, a Zener model and a model using complex constants are extended to model the transversely isotropic material. As the Rayleigh model is only valid for a limited frequency range, it fails to model the broadband behaviour of the material. The model using complex constants leads to the best fit over a wide frequency range while at the same time only adding three additional parameters for modelling damping. Thus, damping can be assumed approximately frequency-independent in piezoceramics.