Modeling of induced strain actuation of shell structures

Based on the thin‐shell Donnell theory, a model to represent the action of discrete induced strain actuator patches symmetrically bonded to the surface of a circular cylindrical shell has been developed. The model provides estimates of the bending curvatures due to the out‐of‐phase actuation and the in‐plane strains due to the in‐phase actuation of the bonded actuator patches. The magnitudes of the induced curvature and the in‐plane strain are found to be identical to those of plates; however, due to the strain‐displacement relations in cylindrical coordinates, the in‐plane and out‐of‐plane displacements are coupled. Expressions for the equivalent forces and moments that represent the action of the actuator patches have been developed. Due to the curvature of the shell, the representation of the in‐phase actuation with an equivalent in‐plane line force applied along the edge of the actuator results in the application of erroneous rigid‐body transverse forces. To avoid these rigid body forces, a method to ...