Analytical Modeling of a Piezoelectric Bimorph Beam

Smart structures based on piezoelectric materials are now finding applications in a wide variety of environmental conditions. Such materials are capable of converting mechanical energy into electrical energy. Indeed, when subjected to mechanical stress become electrically charged at their surface and vice versa. In the current paper, the research is focused on a simple analytical model based on Euler–Bernoulli beam theory with the following assumptions was proposed: (a) the piezoelectric layer thickness in comparison to the length of the beam is very thin and (b) the electrical field between the upper surface and lower surface of the piezoelectric layer is uniform. We have applied this model to study its static responses and predict the ambient deformations into usable electrical energy from a cantilever piezoelectric beam. The proposed model was numerically investigated for validity. Analytical data showed that the proposed model simulations are in good agreement with the FE results. The results of the modeling are very promising.