Distributed vibration control and identification of coupled elastic/piezoelectric shells: Theory and experiment

Abstract In the recent development toward building large and flexible aerospace structural systems, active distributed vibration control and structural identification are of importance to their high-demanding performance. In this paper, a generic distributed parameter systems—a generic layered shell made of a passive elastic material sandwiched between two piezoelectric layers—is proposed and analysed. One of the coupled piezoelectric layers monitors the structural oscillation via the direct piezoelectric effect and the other controls the oscillation via the converse effect. Theories on distributed structural identification and control are derived. System dynamic equations and state equations of the coupled shell are formulated using Hamilton's principle and Kirchhoff-Love theory. Distributed structural identification and control of elastic structures are demonstrated by laboratory experiments.