Enthalpy-based homogenization procedure for composite piezoelectric modules with integrated electrodes

A new enthalpy-based procedure for the homogenization of the electromechanical material parameters of composite piezoelectric modules with integrated electrodes is presented. It is based on a finite element (FE) modeling of the latter's representative volume element (RVE). In contrast to most previously published homogenization approaches that are based on averaged quantities, the presented method uses a direct evaluation of the electromechanical enthalpy. Hence, for the linear orthotropic piezoelectric composite behavior full set of elastic, piezoelectric, and dielectric material parameters, 17 load cases (LC) are used where each load case leads directly to one material parameter. This gives the possibility to elaborate a very strict and easy to program processing. In conjunction with the 17 LC, the enthalpy-based homogenization is particularly suitable for laminated composite piezoelectric modules with integrated electrodes. In this case, the electric load has to be given at the electrodes rather than at the RVE FE model boundaries. The proposed procedure is validated through its comparison to literature available results on a classical 1-3 piezoelectric micro fiber (longitudinally polarized) reinforced composite and a d15 shear piezoelectric macro-fiber (transversely polarized) composite module.