Effect of interfacial imperfection on shear wave propagation in a piezoelectric composite structure: Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin asymptotic approach

The primary objective of this article is to investigate the behaviour of horizontally polarized shear (SH) wave propagation in piezoelectric composite structure consisting of functionally graded piezoelectric material layer imperfectly bonded to functionally graded porous piezoelectric material half-space. The linear form of functional gradedness varying continuously along with depth is considered in both functionally graded piezoelectric material layer and functionally graded porous piezoelectric material half-space. The interface of the composite structure is considered to be damaged mechanically and/or electrically. Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin asymptotic approach is adopted to solve the coupled electromechanical field differential equations of both functionally graded piezoelectric material layer and functionally graded porous piezoelectric material half-space. An analytical treatment has been employed to determine the dispersion relations of propagating SH-wave for both electrically short and electrically open conditions, which further reduced to the pre-established and classical results as special case of the problem. The effect of various affecting parameters, namely, functional gradedness, wave number, mechanical/electrical imperfection parameters in the presence and absence of porosity on the phase velocity of SH-wave, has been reported through numerical computation and graphical demonstration. In addition, the variation of the coupled electromechanical factor with dimensionless wave number and cut-off frequency with different modes of propagation of wave for electrically short and electrically open cases has also been discussed.