A FEM-BEM coupling strategy for the modeling of magnetoelectric effects in composite structures

Abstract

This paper deals with the numerical modeling of devices based on magnetoelectric composite materials. These heterogeneous structures made of the mechanical association of piezoelectric and magnetostrictive materials display magneto-electric effects exceeding by several orders of magnitude the response of single-phase multiferroic materials. A coupling of the Finite Element Method (FEM) and the Boundary Element Method (BEM) is used to model the behavior of magnetic effects, while classical FEM formulations are used for the electrical and mechanical problems. This coupling of numerical methods allows avoiding considering a free space domain around the active domain, and thus to use a single mesh for the magnetic, mechanical and electrical problems. This results in a consequent reduction of the number of unknowns, which is accompanied by shorter computation times compared to a pure FEM approach. The final system of equations is solved by a block Gauss–Seidel type solver.