A Finite Element Approach for Flutter Control of Laminated Composite Panel Using Piezoelectric Actuators

Abstract

Non-linear and linear panel flutter equations of motion for active laminated composite plates with piezoelectric layers subjected to mechanical, thermal, electrical, and aerodynamic loads were derived. Finite element models for both the linear and non-linear active composite panel flutter were derived with all characteristic matrices of the elements. An optimal control design, based on modal transformation of the panel flutter equations of motion, was presented to actively suppress large-amplitude, limit-cycle flutter motions of rectangular laminated plates at supersonic speeds using piezoelectric actuators. An integrated computer program, based on the derived finite element model of the active composite panel, was designed and developed for static, dynamic, and flutter boundaries analyses. To test the developed and implemented finite element model, computational experiments were held on three groups of materials, namely, Glass/Epoxy, Carbon/Epoxy, and Aluminum. Static, dynamic, and flutter analyses were performed on each group and the results were tested for convergence and accuracy. The effects of adding piezoelectric •actuators in controlling deflection, free vibration, and flutter boundary were investigated. . The distributions of actuators on the faces of the panels were studied. Since the optimal control design is based on modal transformation, a laboratory modal testing was conducted to extract the dynamic characteristics of the panels. Composite panel model were manufactured from Carbon/Epoxy prepregs. The finite element results were compared with analytical, if any, as well as the experimental results and gave satisfactory results to en.sure the validity of the developed finite element model for controlling the phenomena of panel flutter and these results demonstrate that piezoelectric materials are effective in controlling panel flutter. .