Modeling mechanical behavior of distributed piezoelectric actuators for morphing wing applications

Purpose A distributed piezoelectric actuator (DPA) improving the deformation performance of wing is proposed. As the power source of morphing wing, the factors affecting the driving performance of DPA were studied. Design/methodology/approach The DPA is composed of a substrate beam and a certain number of piezoelectric patches pasted on its upper and lower ends. Utilizing the inverse piezoelectric effect of piezoelectric material, the DPA transfers displacement to the wing skin to change its shape. According to the finite element method and piezoelectric constitutive equation, the structure model of DPA was established, and its deformation behavior was analyzed. The accuracy of algorithm was verified by comparison with previous studies. Findings The results show that the arrangement way, length and thickness of piezoelectric patches, the substrate beam thickness and the applied voltage are the important factors to determine the driving performance of DPA. Research limitations/implications This paper can provide theoretical basis and calculation method for the design and application of distributed piezoelectric actuator and morphing wing. Originality/value A novel morphing wing drove by DPA is proposed to improve environmental adaptability of aircraft. As the power source achieving wing deformation, the DPA model is established by FEM. Then the factors affecting the driving performance are analyzed. The authors find the centrosymmetric arrangement way of piezoelectric patches is superior to the axisymmetric arrangement, and distribution center of the piezoelectric patches determines the driving performance.