Energy Release Rate of Piezoelectric Laminated Cylindrical Shell with Delamination under Circumferential Concentrated Load

Abstract The delamination growth may occur in piezoelectric laminated shell with delamination under a combined electro-thermo-mechanical loading. Based on the piezoelectric theory, the variational principle of moving boundary and considering the contact effect between delamination regions, the nonlinear governing equations for the piezoelectric laminated shell with delamination under hygrothermal condition are derived, and the corresponding boundary and matching conditions are given as well. At the same time, according to the Griffith criterion, the formula of energy release rate along the delamination front is obtained and the delamination growth is studied. In the numerical calculation, the energy release rate and delamination growth of axisymmetrical piezoelectric cylindrical shell are analyzed, and a parametric study is conducted, showing the effects of geometric nonlinear, voltage, temperature and humidity, mechanical load, delamination length and depth, geometrical parameter and material property on energy release rate.