Efficient layerwise multiphysics spectral element model for delaminated composite strips with PWAS transducers

Efficient structural element-based models are essential for fast simulations of wave propagation in composite structures for model-based and physics-informed data-driven structural health monitoring. This article introduces the first efficient multiphysics time-domain spectral structural element for wave propagation analysis of beam and panel-type composite structures with piezoelectric transducers (patch or full layers) containing delaminations. A general framework is presented to model multiple delaminations and transducer patches located arbitrarily. The intact host and patch transducer-bonded laminates and sub-laminates between delaminations are modelled separately using an electromechanically coupled efficient layerwise zigzag theory (ZIGT) for kinematics and a piecewise quadratic variation for the electric potential across piezoelectric layers. The high-order spectral element (SE) features a virtual electric node to model equipotential surfaces of piezoelectric transducers apart from the usual physical nodes having mechanical and internal electric degrees of freedom. A hybrid point-least squares continuity approach is employed to maintain continuity at the intersections of delaminated sub-laminates or the patch-bonded laminate with the host laminate. The model’s performance in capturing electroelastic waves’ interaction with delamination is examined with reference to the conventional finite element (FE) solution based on the ZIGT, continuum-based FE solutions, and the SE solution based on a non-layerwise version of the laminate theory. Finally, the model is used to examine the impact of interfacial location and size of delaminations on wave propagation behaviour.