Abstract

The general solution presented in this paper is based on the extended Stroh formalism by
Hwu to address the problems of stress concentration in laminated plates embedded with piezo-
electric layers with holes subjected to remotely applied coupled electromechanical loading. This
surpasses the limitations of the existing solutions by virtue of generalities, such as generalized
mapping function and arbitrary biaxial loading. The range includes variety of materials-
anisotropic and isotropic; loading-inplane, bending, coupled mechanical and electromechanical
loading; and shapes of holes from circular, polygonal and variety of irregular shapes. Thus the
general solutions derived have come out as one-stop solutions for stresses, moments and
electrical displacements around holes in piezo-electric or polymer composite laminates or
isotropic plates. These solutions are also validated by Finite Element Method using ANSYS
software and a good concurrence of the results has been noted for these two approaches.
Results are presented for certain cases of inplane loading of piezolaminate as well as simple
laminate.

Key words: Stress concentrations; Stroh formalism; piezo-electric laminates; symmetric, unsymmetric
laminates; coupled electromechanical loading; inplane and bending loads.

These solutions have proved their validity by reproducing exactly the same results as of
the solutions available in the literature irrespective of the method adopted by the individual
researcher. These solutions are also validated by Finite Element Method using ANSYS software
and a good concurrence of the results has been noted for these two approaches. Results for
several new cases of holes in piezo-laminates are produced both for inplane and bending loads.
Both general solutions, one for inplane loading for symmetric laminates and the other for bending
loads for unsymmetric laminates have been derived with similar features using Stroh formalism.
Prior to these solutions, symmetric and unsymmetric laminates are addressed by separate
approaches involving lengthy mathematical formulations.

Thus the general solutions derived have come out as one-stop solutions for stresses,
moments and electrical displacements around holes in piezo-electric or polymer composite
laminates or isotropic plates. Results are easily obtained for the chosen parameters with any
combination of plates, holes and loading, etc. Input values are chosen from the data base for
materials and configuration of the laminate, shape of hole and in plane or bending with coupled
mechanical or coupled electromechanical loading. This solution is very useful for conducting
parametric study on all types of plates to investigate the influence of each parameter on the
stresses, moments or electrical displacements around any shape of hole.

Key words: Stress concentrations; Stroh formalism; piezo-electric laminates; symmetric, unsymmetric
laminates; coupled electromechanical loading; inplane and bending loads.

Introduction

Piezo-composites are essentially used as intelligent structures for control and actuation
applications as well as for health monitoring of structures. Piezoelectric materials are most
widely used in these structures because of their fast electromechanical response and low power
requirements and ease of manufacturing. They have the ability to convert electrical energy into
mechanical energy. The generated surface charge density is linearly proportional to the applied
stress and this is called the piezoelectric effect. Piezo-composites comprise layers of
piezoelectric ceramics and polymers. Stress concentration due to holes in laminated structures
is unavoidable where holes are to be made deliberately for various functional reasons. Further,
the structures when used in high technology applications may be subjected to various kinds of
coupled loads. In order to assess the structural integrity and residual strength of such
structures, it is essential to determine the stresses and related parameters around the hole for
safety reasons.

Majority of the solutions have been produced using Lekhnitskii’s [1] approach and very few
solutions have adopted Savin’s [2] method. These approaches do not address the inplane-
bending coupled loading whereas, Becker’s [3,4] complex potential method has addressed such
problems. The stress concentration problems in piezoelectric plates containing either circular or
elliptical holes or inclusions or arbitrary shaped holes with cusps and cracks by applying
complex potential method [5-9]. Green’s functions[10,11] have been applied to study the
coupled elastic and electric fields in piezoelectric solids with arbitrary shaped defects like,
cavities, inclusions, cracks, etc. under mechanical and electric loads. The simplicity of Stroh
formalism lies in the fact that the eigen values and eigen vectors that are characteristic of the
material considered are represented in terms of certain fundamental matrices. These matrices
address the kind of material, type of laminate, etc. The solution by Stroh formalism has been
more elegant due to the representation of the data in matrix form. Chung and Ting [12] have
studied the two-dimensional problem of an elliptic hole in an anisotropic piezoelectric
plate using Stroh formalism. However, the electromechanical coupling has been effectively
addressed by the extended Stroh formalism given by Hwu and Hsieh [13]. They have applied
this for directly solving many problems of electro-elastic composite laminates. The present
solution has further enhanced the scope of Hwu’s extended Stroh formalism [14] by
incorporating into it the generalized mapping function and an arbitrary biaxial loading condition
so that it can address the case of any shape of hole with given mapping function and several
kinds of inplane and bending loads. Now, the solution derived is the most universal in terms of
materials, holes, and loading. It can address isotropic, anisotropic including the piezoelectric
plates, all shapes of holes and all kinds of inplane, bending, coupled loads, mechanical and
electrical. Some of the results obtained for inplane loading on piezo-laminates are presented in
this paper.

Problem Statement

A centrally located arbitrary shaped cutout is considered in an infinite symmetric piezoelectric

laminate. The boundary of the cut-out is free from loading and the laminate is subjected to
remotely acting biaxial mechanical stresses and electrical displacements in an open circuit
condition. It is required to determine the stresses and electrical displacements around the
cutout.

The mapping function

Thus the complex coordinate z becomes

zk   ( )  x1  k x2 ( k  1, 2,3, 4,5, 6, 7,8) (3.4)

R  1  N  j 1 
x1       m j   j 
2      
 j 1

iR  1  N  j 1 
x2       m j   j 
2
   j 1   
(3.7)
Arbitrary Biaxial Loading

x2 λ x2 x2
x2‫׳‬ x2‫׳‬

x1 x1 x1
= +
β
MBE
x 1‫׳‬
D x1‫׳‬
 ZWC λ
AD.D
(a) rawin (b) (c)
(a) g β (b) (c)
Figure 3.1 Scheme of solution (a) plate with hole, loading at infinity (b) uniform plate with loading at
infinity
Figure 3.1 (c) plate
Scheme with no(a)
of solution external loading
plate with and
hole, with negative
loading at infinityloading on the
(b) uniform edge
plate of loading
with the holeat
infinity (c) plate with no external loading and with negative loading on the edge of the hole

The following values of  and  are taken for different cases of loading.

Tension along
x1 -axis:   0,   /2

Tension along
x2 -axis:   0,  0

Inclined uni-axial loading:   0,  0

Biaxial loading-arbitrary:   1,  0

Equi-biaxial loading:   1,  0

Shear loading:   1,    / 2 or 3 / 4

Electrical displacement along

x1 -axis:   0,   /2

Electrical displacement along

x2 -axis:   0,  0

2 Problem Formulation

A symmetric piezo-composite laminate with a hole defined by the mapping function (3.1)
is considered under generalized plane stress condition acted up on by remote mechanical

stresses
 1 ' ,  2  ' and electrical displacements D1 ' , D2 ' in open circuit condition about
 x1 ', x2 ' . The coupled constitutive relations (3.19) for the
respective arbitrarily oriented axes

 ij  kl ,
electro-elastic problem are expressed in terms of stresses , strains , electric

Dj Ek , the elastic stiffness tensor [69] at constant electric field

displacements , electric field

C E ijkl ekij  sjk

, piezoelectric stress tensor and dielectric permittivity tensor at constant strain as

 ij  Cijkl
E
 kl  ekij Ek
 
 D j  e jkl  kl   jk Ek , i, j , k , l  1, 2, 3
(3.19)
The equilibrium equations are given by

σ ij , j =0 Di ,i  0
(3.20)

uk as given in (3.21) is considered to satisfy all the basic

A generalized displacement function
equations in (3.19) and (3.20)

uk  a k f k  z k 
(3.21)

f k  zk  , k  1, 2,3, 4,5, 6,7,8

where, are eight arbitrary analytical functions in terms of complex

zk  x1  k x2 . The egenvalues are determined from the roots of the eigenrelation. The
variable

f k  zk 
functions in (3.21) will be determined by applying the boundary conditions and

eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Considering the eight eigenvalues

 k and their corresponding

a k , b k , the generalized displacement function uk in (3.21) is represented in vector

eigenvectors
form as (3.22).

8 4
u   ak f k  zk    ak f k  zk   ak f k  4  zk  
k 1 k 1 (3.22)
Similarly, the corresponding generalized stress function (A.33) is represented as

8 4
Φ   bk f k  zk    bk f k  zk   b k f k  4  zk  
k 1 k 1 (3.23)

f k  zk  qk and f ( zk ) and
Representing each analytical function as a product of a constant
similarly applying the same simplification for the corresponding conjugate functions also, we
have

f k  zk   qk f  zk     
f k  4 z k  qk f z k
(3.24)

Introducing (3.24) into the generalized displacements (3.22) and generalized stress functions
(3.23), we have

u  2 Re  A f  zk  q 
,

Φ  2 Re  B f  zk  q 
(3.25)

Re stands for the real part of the complex number, q is complex constant vector, A and B

are material eigenvector matrices of size 4×4. The components of A, B and q are given by
A= [ a1 a2 a 3 a 4 ]
(3.26)

where, the components of displacement vector u , stress function vector Φ and analytical

f ( zk ) are given by
functions

 u1  1 
u   
   
u   2 Φ   2
u3  3 
u4  4 
 f  zk   diag  f  z1  f  z2  f  z3  f  z 4  
(3.27)

ak and bk of fundamental elasticity matrix (A.41) are non-singular and satisfy

The eigenvectors
the orthogonality relation as

A A BT AT = I 0
[ ][
B B BT AT 0 I ][ ]
(3.28)

x1 , x2 axes. Applying (A.56) and

The eigenrelation formulated in (A.42) corresponds to the
following the procedure from (A.29) to (A.42), we get the eigenrelation corresponding to the
rotated axes as

N ( )   ( ) (3.29)
where,

 N ( ) N 2 ( ) 
N( )   1 
 N 3 ( ) N1 ( )  ,
T

N1 ( )  T 1 ( )R T ( ) , N 2 ( )  T1 ( )  N 2 ( ) (3.30)

where, Q(), R() and T() are transformed 4x4 material real matrices (A.22) given in terms of
Q, R and T as.

Q( )  Q cos 2   (R  R T )sin  cos   T sin 2 

R ( )  R cos 2   (T  Q) sin  cos   R T sin 2 

T( )  T cos 2   ( R  R T ) sin  cos   Q sin 2  (3.31)

For distinct eigenvalues

k ( ) given by (A.54), the corresponding column eigenvectors ak ,bk

are independent of each other.

 Im k ( )  0, k 3 ( )  k ( ) (3.32)

a k  3  ak bk 3  b k (3.33)

3.4.3 Method of Solution

The method of solution for the problem is illustrated in Fig.3.1. The solution is obtained
by superposition of stress functions determined in two stages. In the first stage, the stress
function has been obtained for the plate without hole due to remotely applied load by

x1, x2
mechanical stresses and electrical displacements about the arbitrary axes . In this stage,
remotely applied load will develop the stress and electrical displacements that are same
everywhere in the plate as those applied at infinity. This stage of solution is called uniform
stress field condition. A fictitious hole is assumed in this stage and the boundary conditions
around the hole are obtained by satisfying the uniform stress field conditions. For the second
stage solution, the plate with hole is applied by negative of boundary conditions those obtained
from first stage on its hole boundary with absence of remote loading as shown in Fig. 3.1(b).
The stress functions in this stage are considered with arbitrary analytical functions followed by
certain unknown constants. These arbitrary analytical functions and unknown constants of the
stress functions are obtained by satisfying the boundary conditions in the second stage. The
final stress function is obtained by superimposing the stress functions in the first and second
stages that corresponds to the plate with a traction free hole and remote loading as shown in
Fig. 3.1(a).
It is required to determine the constants in the final stress function for a traction free hole
and remote mechanical and electrical loading. By taking the derivative of the final stress
function with respect to tangential direction and equating it to zero, we will be able to determine
the unknown constants existing in the stress function.

First Stage Solution

In the first stage of the solution, Fig.3.1 (b) shows the laminate with fictitious hole is
considered and subjected to remotely applied mechanical and electrical loading about the

x1, x2 and this produces the uniform state of stress. The stress functions around
arbitrary axes
the fictitious hole which satisfy the uniform state stress condition due to loading at infinity are
determined as given below.

di i dx1 i dx2

 
ds x1 ds x2 ds (3.35)

The differentiation of stress function along the arc length s is called surface traction on the arc. It
is given by
di
ti 
ds (3.36)
From (3.35) and (3.36) we obtain

di i dx1 i dx2

ti   
ds x1 ds x2 ds (3.37)

ti ds  di  i ,1dx1  i ,2 dx2

(3.38)

 i1  i ,2  i 2  i ,1
Substitute for , into (3.38), we get stress function as

di   i 2 dx1   i1dx2 (3.39)

Integrating (3.39) along the arc we obtain stress function as

i   di     i 2 dx1   i1dx2  i   i 2  dx1  i1  dx2

=

i   i 2 x1   i1 x2 (3.40)

Take i  1, 2,3
1   12 x1   11 x2
2   22 x1   21 x2
2   32 x1   31 x2
 4   42 x1   41 x2 (3.41)

Take
 41  D1 and  42  D2 into above equations and introducing (3.12) into (3.41), we obtain

the stress function in vector form as

Φ I  ( x1t 2  x2 t1 ) (3.42)

Φ   1 2 3 4  t1    11  21  31 D1  t 2    12  22  32 D2 
T T T

where, , and

Substituting for x1 and x2 from (3.5) into (3.42), we obtain the stress function around the fictitious
hole

  N   N  
Φ I   R  cos   m j cos j  t 2  R  sin   m j sin j  t1 
  j 1
  j 1
 
      (3.43)

Substituting  from (3.2) into (3.43), we get

  N  
Φ I   R   m j  t1 sin j  t 2 cos j    R  t1 sin  t 2 cos  
  j 1  
   

 1 N  1 
Φ I  Re  R  t 2  it1      m j R  t 2  it1   j 
   j 1   
(3.44)

Second Stage Solution

In the second stage, the plate is considered with hole as shown in Fig. 3.1(c) and
negative loading is applied on the surface of the hole with absence of loading at infinity. The
stress function in this stage is considered in the following form with some arbitrary unknown

q, q j
constants
 N
Φ  2 Re B f ( zk ) q  2 Re B f ( zk ) q j
II

j 1 (3.45)

The first term in the above (3.45) represents the stress function relate to the circle hole
boundary and the circle can be degenerated into various shapes of hole by introducing number
of terms into the stress function. The stress functions for holes other circle will be represented
by second term of above stress function. Finally the stress function for general shape of hole will

q, q j
be represented by (3.45). The unknown arbitrary constants associated with the complex
function are determined satisfying the traction free boundary condition.

For traction free boundary condition the tangential stress around hole exist and

q, q j
remaining normal and shear stress vanish. The unknown constants in the stress function
are obtained by equating the essential boundary conditions at hole with absence of remote
loading from second stage to negation loading condition which obtained from stage I.

Φ II  Φ I (3.46)

II
Substituting for Φ from (3.45) into (3.46), we get

N
2 Re B f ( zk ) q  2 Re B  f ( zk ) q j  Φ I
j 1 (3.47)

To apply the boundary conditions of the given problem, it is not to possible in z-plane. It is easy

to solve by transforming the region in z-plane to ζ -plane using conformal mapping function.
The physical region of the plate exterior to the hole is being transformed to the parametric plane

ζ zk   ( )  x1  k x2 in (3.8). After transforming

-plane using the mapping function given by

region outside the hole in z-plane to ζ -plane, the stress function Φ in the ζ -plane is
given as
 N 
2 Re B f ( k ) q  B  f ( k ) q j   Φ I
 j 1  (3.48)
 I
Substituting the stress function Φ from (3.44) into (3.48), we get

 N   1 N  1 
2 Re B f ( k ) q  B f ( k ) q j    Re  R  t 2  it1      m j R  t 2  it1   j 
 j 1     j 1   

  R  t   it      N m j R  t 2  it1    
 1  1  N
2 Re      B f ( k ) q        B f ( k ) q j     0
2 1
 j
  2    
   j  1
2   j 1 
  

(3.49)

As we know that  becomes infinity i.e.,    when z   and the function f ( ) with

negative powers of  f (ζ )
II
will make the stress function Φ equal to zero. After substituting ,

fj  
and  , where j  1 to
−1 j
are equal to ζ N into (3.49), we get

  R  t   it  
1   N m j R  t 2  it1    
 
 1  1  N
1
2 Re     B j q j     0
2 1
 B 
q     j
  2       j  1
  
2   j 1  
  

  R  t   it     1    m j R  t 2  it1  
  N  1  
2 Re    Bq       
2 1
 Bq j    j  0
  2      
  
2  j  1 
   


(3.50)

q, q j
By simplifying (3.50) we get constants as

B 1 (t 2  it1 )
q  R
2
m j B 1 (t 2  it1 )
q j  R
2 (3.51)
 q, q j
After substituting the arbitrary constants from (3,51) into (3.45) we may get stress function

Φ II as

 R(t 2  it1 ) N m (t   it1 ) 

Φ II  2 Re B f ( k ) B 1   B f ( k ) B 1 R j 2 
 2 j 1 2  (3.52)

Final Solution
The stress function for the given plate with a traction free hole boundary condition with
loading at infinity is obtained by superposing the stress functions (3.44) and (3.52) from stage I
and stage II solutions is given by

Φ  Φ I  Φ II (3.53)

I II
Substituting equation for Φ and Φ from (3.42) and (3.52) into (3.53), we get the stress
function as

 R (t 2  it1 ) N m (t   it1 ) 
Φ  ( x1t 2  x2 t1 )  2 Re B f ( k ) B 1   B f ( k ) B 1R j 2 
 2 j 1 2 
(3.54)

Boundary conditions
In this solution, the plate is considered with an arbitrary shaped hole and the size of the
hole is very small as compared with plate dimensions. In order to evaluate the stresses around
hole the plate is assumed to subject the loads at infinity and there in no stress along edge of
hole. To satisfy the boundary conditions at infinity and the traction free condition for the hole, we
have the conditions as

Φ  Φ I at infinity
t n  Φ, s  0
along the hole boundary (3.55)
To satisfy the first boundary condition in (3.55) i.e., Φ  Φ , the stress function Φ in the
I II

II
final solution should become zero at infinity. In order to make the stress function Φ equal to

zero, the function f ( ) in (3.54) is considered as polynomial with negative powers.

q, q j
After introducing the constants , we get the stress function as

  t   it1   N 1  t 2  it1 
 

Φ  x1t 2  x2 t1  2 Re B  1 B 1 R  2  j  j
  2 Re m B B R  
  2    j 1  2 

(3.56)

3.4.4 Stresses and Electrical Displacements around the Hole

The stresses and electrical displacements around the hole boundary in piezo-
composites are obtained by taking the derivative of stress function Φ with respect to the normal
directions as described in Appendix-D. The derivative of the stress function (3.56) with respect
to the normal direction n is written as

 dx dx   N  
Φ,n   2 t1  1 t 2   2 Re B f ( k ),n q  B  f ( k ),n q j  
 dn dn   j 1   (3.57)

Upon introducing the results from (D.5)-(D.7) and the constants q, qj from (3.51) into (3.57), we
get

1  1
Φ,n  t 2 sin  t1 cos  Re  G 3 ( )  iG1 ( ) (t 2  it 2 ) 
  

1  N mj 
 Re  G 3 ( )  iG1 ( ) (t 2  it1 ) j j 
  j 1  
(3.58)
The following identities are used in (3.57) to convert the complex numbers into real numbers.

B  j ( ) B 1    G1 ( )  iG 3 ( )   
 
G1 ( )  N1T ( )  N3 ( )SL1  and
G 3 ( )  N 3 ( )L1

S  i (2 AB T  I ) H  2iAA T L  2iBB T (3.59)

G 1 ( ) and G 3 ( ) are two real matrices defined by generalized fundamental matrices

where,

N i ( ) and Barnett-Lothe tensors S, H and L.

The tangential stress and electrical displacement around the hole are given by

 ss  sT Φ,n

Dss  i3T  ,n
(3.60)

s and n denote the unit tangent and unit normal to the hole boundary respectively as shown in
T T
Fig.D.1. The following transformation matrices n , s are used for evaluating the stresses in the

normal and tangential directions. The

i3T matrix is used to exclusively obtain the electrical

displacement from the derivatives of the stress function.

nT    sin  cos  0 0

sT   cos  sin  0 0
,
i3T   0 0 0 1
(3.61)
Circular Hole
The stresses and electrical displacements around a circular hole in PZT 4 piezoelectric plate are
presented in Figure 1 for remote loading along y-axis. The results exactly match with those of
Liang [56].

PZT 4 Piezo-Layer
(σψ/σ)max : 2.71
At ψ = 00 and 1800
y

(a)

PZT 4 Piezo-Layer
(Dψ/σ)max : 1.97
y at ψ = 00 and 1800
 (b)
Figure 1 Piezoelectric plate (PZT 4) with circular hole under remote Y-axis loading (a) hoop stress (b)
electrical displacements, Liang [56]
Elliptical Hole
(a) Remote y-axis loading
Stresses and electrical displacements around elliptical holes (b/a = 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, and 5) in
piezoelectric plate PZT 4 under remote stresses along y -axis are presented in Figure 2.
Similarly, in Figure 3, they are presented for remote electrical displacements. These results
match exactly with those of Xu [63]. a, b are semi major and minor axes respectively.

10

b/a = 0.2
8 b/a = 0.5
b/a = 1
b/a = 2
b/a = 5
6

-2
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
.
(a)

10

-5

-10
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180

(b)
Figure 2 Piezoelectric laminate (PZT 4) with elliptical hole under remote stress along y-axis (a) hoop
stress (b) electrical displacements, Xu [63]

0.3

b/a = 0.2
b/a = 0.5
0.2 b/a = 1
b/a = 2
ba = 5

0.1

0.0

-0.1

-0.2
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180

(a)

b/a = 0.2
4 b/a = 0.5
b/a = 1
b/a = 2
2 b/a = 5

-2

-4

-6
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180

(b)

Figure 3 Piezoelectric laminate (PZT 4) with elliptical hole under remote electrical displacement loading
D2 (a) hoop stress (b) electrical displacements, Xu [63]
The nominal stresses are listed in Table 2 for other cases of elliptical holes (a/b = 3,1,1/3, 1/10)
in the same PZT 4 plate under remotely applied mechanical loading along x-axis. They match
closely with those of Sosa [29] and Xu [63].

Table 2 Results for other elliptical holes in PZT 4 piezoelectric plate.

Present
a/b Sosa [ 29 ] X.-L.Xu [63]
solution
3 1.745 1.743 1.72
1 3.234 3.23 3.16
1/3 7.708 7.7 7.5
1/10 23.67 23.26 22.68

(b) Remote Shear and Electrical Loading

Stresses around elliptical holes (b/a = 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, and 5) in PZT 4 piezoelectric plate
under remote shear and electrical displacements are presented in Figure 4 (a) and (b)
respectively. They are in concurrence with those of Zhou [54].

15

10

a/b = 1
-5 a/b = 5
a/b = 10

-10

-15
0 50 100 150 200

(a)
 1.5

a/b = 1
a/b = 5
1.0 a/b = 10

0.5

0.0

-0.5

-1.0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200

(b)

Figure 4 Stresses around elliptical hole in Piezoelectric laminate (PZT 4) under (a) remote shear
loading (b) electrical displacement loading D2, Zhou [54]

Irregular Shaped Holes

The stresses around various irregular shaped holes in symmetric piezo-laminate [PZT5H/45/-
45/PZT5H]s under mechanical and electrical loading are presented in the following. The
properties of piezoelectric layers are given in Table 4.2.
Shape 1
The values of / around circular hole in piezo-laminate [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H]s under equi-
biaxial mechanical and electrical displacement loading are shown in Figure 5. The maximum
value of / is 2.47 at 1300, 3100 whereas for simple [45/-45]s Graphite/epoxy laminate, it is
equal to 3.06.
 [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H]s
Graphite/epoxy
q (σψ/σ)max 2.47

atψ = 1300, 3100

Figure 5 Stress distribution around shape 1 hole in graphite/epoxy [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H] s

laminate under equi-biaxial mechanical and electrical displacement loading

Shape 2
The values of / around Shape 2 hole in [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H] s under remote equi-biaxial
mechanical and electrical displacements are as shown in Figure 6. The maximum value of /
is 38.13 at 00, whereas in case of simple [45/-45]s Graphite/epoxy laminate, it is equal to 28.13
[PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H]s
Graphite/epoxy
(σψ/σ)max 38.13
y at ψ = 00, 3600

Figure 6 Stress distribution around shape 2 hole in graphite/epoxy [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H] s

laminate under equi-biaxial mechanical and electrical displacement loading
Shape 3
The values of / around Shape 3 hole in [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H] s laminate under equi-biaxial
mechanical and electrical displacements are plotted in Figure 7. The maximum value of / is
8.22 at 500, 3100 whereas in case of the simple [45/-45]s Graphite/epoxy laminate, it is equal to
12.04.

[PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H]s
Graphite/epoxy
y (σψ/σ)max 8.22
at ψ = 500, 3100

Figure 7 Stress distribution around shape 3 hole in graphite/epoxy [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H] s

Laminate under equi- biaxial mechanical and electrical displacement loading

Shape 4
The values of / around Shape 4 hole in [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H] s laminate under equi-biaxial
mechanical and electrical displacement are shown in Figure 8. The maximum value of / is
7.03 at 1200, 3000 whereas in case of simple [45/-45]s Graphite/epoxy laminate, it is equal to
7.63.
 [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H]s
Graphite/epoxy
y
(σψ/σ)max 7.03
at ψ = 1200, 3000

Figure 8 Stress distribution around shape 4 hole in graphite/epoxy [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H] s

Laminate under equi- biaxial mechanical and electrical displacement loading

Shape 5
The values of / around shape 5 hole in [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H] s laminate under equi-biaxial
mechanical and electrical displacement are shown in Figure 9. The maximum value of / is
6.59 at 400, 3200, whereas in case of simple [45/-45] s Graphite/epoxy laminate, it is equal to
9.47.
 [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H]s
Graphite/epoxy
y (σψ/σ)max6.59
at ψ = 400, 3200

Figure 9 Stress distribution around shape 5 hole in graphite/epoxy [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H] s

laminate under equi- biaxial mechanical and electrical displacement loading
Shape 6
The values of / around shape 6 hole in [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H] s laminate under equi-biaxial
mechanical and electrical displacement is shown in Figure 10. The maximum value of / is
5.21 at 100, 1900 whereas in case of simple [45/-45]s Graphite/epoxy laminate, it is equal to 5.93.

[PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H]s
Graphite/epoxy
y
(σψ/σ)max 5.21
at ψ = 100, 1900

Figure 10 Stress distribution around shape 6 hole in graphite/epoxy [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H] s

laminate under equi- biaxial mechanical and electrical displacement loading

Shape 7
The values of / around shape 7 hole in [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H] s laminate under equi-biaxial
mechanical and electrical displacement are shown in Figure 11. The maximum value of / is
8.07 at 00, 3600 whereas in case of simple [45/-45]s Graphite/epoxy laminate, it is equal to 9.83.

[PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H]s
Graphite/epoxy
(σψ/σ)max 8.07
y
at ψ = 00, 3600

Figure 11 Stress distribution around shape 7 hole in graphite/epoxy [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H] s

laminate under equi- biaxial mechanical and electrical displacement loading

Shape 8
The values of / around Shape 8 hole in [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H] s laminate under equi-biaxial
mechanical and electrical displacement are shown in Figure 12. The maximum value of / is
12.65 at 00, 1800 whereas in case of simple [45/-45]s Graphite/epoxy laminate, it is equal to 9.19.
 [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H]s
Graphite/epoxy
(σψ/σ)max 12.65
y
at ψ = 00, 1800

Figure 12 Stress distribution around shape 8 hole in graphite/epoxy [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H] s

Laminate under equi- biaxial mechanical and electrical displacement loading

Shape 9
The values of / around shape 9 hole in laminate [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H] s under equi-biaxial
mechanical and electrical displacements are shown in Figure 13. The maximum value of / is
9.42 at 1900, 3300 whereas in case of simple [45/-45] s Graphite/epoxy laminate, it is equal to
8.37

[PZT5H45/-45/PZT5H]s
Graphite/epoxy
(σψ/σ)max 9.42
at ψ = 1900, 3300
y

Figure 13 Stress distribution around shape 9 hole in graphite/epoxy [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H] s

 laminate under equi- biaxial mechanical and electrical displacement loading.

1. In case of piezo-composites, the pattern of stress distribution around the hole is

exactly same as that of the polymer composite laminate. However all the values are
reduced to a scale.
2. A lower values of stresses are observed in case of laminates with piezo-electric
layers compared to the simple laminates. This may be due to the increased stiffness
of the plates by the presence of piezo layers.

3. The solutions in the literature have addressed either circular or elliptical holes in
single layered piezoelectric plates of PZT4 while the present solution considers the
piezolaminates [PZT5H/45/-45/PZT5H]s with all kinds of regular and irregular shaped
holes.

References

1. Lekhnitskii SG. Anisotropic plates. New York: Gordon and Breach; 1968.

2. Savin GN. Stress concentration around holes. New York: Pergamon Press; 1961.

3. Becker, W., A Complex Potential Method for Plate Problems with Bending- Extension
Coupling, Archive of Applied Mechanics, 61, 1991, pp. 318-326.

4. Becker, W., Complex Method for the Elliptical Hole in an Unsymmetric Laminate, Archive of
Applied Mechanics, 63, 1993, pp.159-169.

5. Sosa H. Plane problems in piezoelectric media with defects. Int J Solids Struct. 1991;
28(4): 491–505.
6. Sasaki T, Suzuki T, Hirashima K. Transversely isotropic piezoelectric materials with an
arbitrarily shaped boundary. Acta Mech 2006; 184: 217–30.

7. Dai L, Guo WL, Wang X. Stress concentration at an elliptic hole in transversely isotropic
piezoelectric solids. Int J Solids Struct 2006; 43: 1818–31.

8. Zhou M, Duan S, Kong Y, Liu S. Stress distribution in a piezoelectric material with an

elliptical hole subjected to remote uniform shear mechanical and electric loads. Adv Mater
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9. Yanliang D,  Shuhong L,  Shijie D, Yanqiang L. Electroelastic fields of piezoelectric

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  R  t   it    
1  1  1
  2
  B q  
  2     
  
2 Re  0
  N m j R  t 2  it1   1  N
1   
     j   B q   
  j  1  j  
j
2  j 1
 

   2 1
   R t   it    1 
 Bq    


  2     
   
2 Re  0
  

  m j R t 2  it1  N  1  
 Bq j    j  
  2  j  1 
   
