Enhanced wave and finite element method for wave propagation and forced response prediction in periodic piezoelectric structures

As a promising numerical tool of structural dynamics in mid- and high frequencies, the wave and finite element method (WFEM) is receiving increasingly attention and applications. In this paper, an enhanced WFEM has been developed with a reduced model and a new eigenvalue scheme. The reduced model is applicable for structures with piezoelectric shunts or local dampers; the new eigenvalue scheme can mitigate the ill-conditioning when the wave basis is calculated. The enhanced WFEM is applied to a thin-wall structure with periodically distributed piezoelectric materials (PZT). Both free wave characteristics and forced response are analyzed and the influences of the suggested enhancements are presented. It is shown that if the control factors are properly chosen, these enhancements can improve the accuracy while accelerating the calculation. Resulting from the complexity of the application, these enhancements are not optional but imperative.