Computational Study of Major Loop Hysteresis in Active Fiber Composites

Abstract

The non-linear and time-dependent response of Active Fiber Composites (AFC) under an application of a high electric field is studied in this paper. We consider an electro-mechanical constitutive model for polarization switching of Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) fibers. Small deformation gradients and large electric field beyond the coercive limit of PZT is considered. The model is implemented in Finite Element (FE) method. FE analyses for AFC under cyclic electric field are performed. A parametric study of the polarization model is conducted in order to understand the effect of material parameters on the hysteretic response.