Dynamic effects of embedded macro-fiber composite actuators on ultra-light flexible structures of repeated pattern- a homogenization approach

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Salehian, A. | Seigler, T.M.

Affiliations: Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Walterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1 | Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA

Note: [] Corresponding author. Tel.: +1 519 888 4567, Ext. 38531; Fax: +1 519 888 4333; E-mail: salehian@uwaterloo.ca

Abstract: Motivated by deployable satellite technology, this article presents a homogenization model of an inflatable, rigidized lattice structure with distributed macro-fiber composite (MFC) actuation. The model is based upon a general expression for the strain and kinetic energy of a fundamental repeated element of the structure. These expressions are reduced in order and expressed in terms of the strain and displacement components of an equivalent one-dimensional vibration model. The resulting model is used to analyze changes in the structural natural frequencies introduced by the local effects of the added macro-fiber composite actuators for several configurations. A finite element solution is used as a comparison for the homogenization model, and the two are shown to be in good agreement, although the latter requires significantly less computational effort.

DOI: 10.3233/SAV-2012-0617

Journal: Shock and Vibration, vol. 19, no. 1, pp. 81-100, 2012