Distributed piezoelectric actuation of a bistable buckled beam

• Published in: European journal of mechanics, A, Solids Vol. 26; no. 5; pp. 837 - 853
• Main Authors: Maurini, Corrado, Pouget, Joël, Vidoli, Stefano
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris Elsevier Masson SAS 01.09.2007; Elsevier
• Subjects: Actuators; Applied sciences; Bistable; Buckling; Exact sciences and technology; Extensible elastica; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Instruments, apparatus, components and techniques common to several branches of physics and astronomy; Mechanical engineering. Machine design; Mechanical instruments, equipment and techniques; Micromechanical devices and systems; Morphing structures; Physics; Precision engineering, watch making; Snap-through; Solid mechanics; Structural and continuum mechanics; Morphing structures; Actuators; Bistable; Extensible elastica; Snap-through; Piezoelectric sensor; Axial speed; Sandwich structure; Quasi static theory; Modeling; Postbuckling; Bistability; Plate; Low energy; Potential well; Non linear effect; Motion control; Buckling; Microelectromechanical device; Microfluidics; Micropump
• ISSN: 0997-7538; 1873-7285
• DOI: 10.1016/j.euromechsol.2007.02.001

Bistable structures, such as buckled beams or plates, are characterized by a two-well potential. Their nonlinear properties are currently exploited in actuators design (e.g. MEMS micropumps, switches, memory cells) to produce relatively high displacements and forces with low actuation energies. We investigate the use of distributed multiparameter actuation to control the buckling and postbuckling behavior of a three-layer piezoelectric beam pinned at either end. A two-parameter bending actuation controls the transversal motion, whilst an axial actuation and a beam end-shortening modulate the tangent bending stiffness. The postbuckling behavior is studied by reducing to a 2 dof system a nonlinear extensible elastica model. When the bending actuation is spatially symmetric, the postbuckling phenomena are analogue to those obtained for a transversal midspan force, being characterized by a snap-through instability. The use of a two-parameter actuation opens new transition scenarios, where it is possible to get true quasi-static transitions between the two specular equilibria of the buckled beam, without any instability phenomenon. The efficiencies of these different transition paths are discussed in terms of energetic requirements and stability properties. A numerical example shows the technical feasibility of the proposed actuation technique.