Approximation of general piezoelectric thin shells by conforming finite element methods

In this paper, we start by giving an existence result for a general piezoelectric material the representation of which uses three curvilinear coordinates. Next, we particularize such a result to a three-dimensional piezoelectric shell, and then we show how this existence result can be extended to two-dimensional theories including, or not, the effect of transverse shear strains. Finally, we indicate how to approximate general piezoelectric thin shells by conforming finite element methods.