title: Modeling of composite piezoelectric structures with the finite volume method.
abstract: Piezoelectric devices, such as piezoelectric traveling- wave rotary ultrasonic motors, have composite piezoelectric structures. A composite piezoelectric structure consists of a combination of two or more bonded materials, at least one of which is a piezoelectric transducer. Piezoelectric structures have mainly been numerically modeled using the finite element method. An alternative approach based on the finite volume method offers the following advantages: 1) the ordinary differential equations resulting from the discretization process can be interpreted directly as corresponding circuits; and 2) phenomena occurring at boundaries can be treated exactly. This paper presents a method for implementing the boundary conditions between the bonded materials in composite piezoelectric structures modeled with the finite volume method. The paper concludes with a modeling example of a unimorph structure.
authors.forename: Valentin
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bolborici
authors.forename: Francis P
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.forename: Mary C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Pugh