Numerical and experimental investigations of actuating characteristics of laminated polyvinylidene fluoride actuator used on paraboloidal shells

The effect of a laminated polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) actuator is analyzed when partially covering a paraboloidal shell. Models of control forces are established using the thin flexible shell theory and the membrane approximation. Analytical expressions of actuating forces and moments are derived and a parametric study is conducted to evaluate the effects of the physical properties of the actuator on the control forces. To verify the model, experiments were carried out on actuation and open-loop vibration control of a paraboloidal antenna with a much smaller actuator. The experimental results agree well with those obtained analytically. The results indicate the following: The laminated PVDF actuator (LPA) can provide effective control forces with low voltages. The control forces consist of actuating forces and moments, but the effect of the normal actuation force distribution is much greater than that of the actuation moments in controlling the normal vibration. The larger the curvature radius of the paraboliodal shell, the smaller the magnitudes of the required actuating forces. The magnitudes of actuating forces are approximately linear with the number of PVDF layers.