Underwater temperature-dependent sound scattering and acoustic radiation force issues of a functionally graded sandwich spherical shell integrated with piezoelectric layers

Understanding the temperature-dependent sound scattering and acoustic radiation force of a spherical shell is crucial for a number of applications, including marine geophysics, underwater sonar systems, and underwater imaging. In the present study, a multiphysics vibroacoustic analytical framework is developed to investigate axially symmetric underwater temperature-dependent sound scattering and acoustic radiation force phenomena. The analysis focuses on a submerged structure consisting of a functionally graded (FG) sandwich spherical shell with piezoelectric layers subjected to a nonlinear thermal environment. The power-law distribution is assumed to describe how the FG core material's properties change as a function of thickness and temperature. The coupled vibroacoustic equations are obtained through the implementation of Hamilton's method, utilizing the principles of electromechanical coupling and the Kirchhoff-Love thin shell concept. After that, Fourier series expansions are used to solve the governing partial differential equations. The accuracy and adaptability of the method proposed in this work are shown by comparing the current results to those found in the literature and in COMSOL Multiphysics® finite element (FE) simulations. The far-field scattering form function and radiation force function versus frequency range are studied with a focus on the effects of electric voltage, temperature variations, and gradient index.