Analytical and isogeometric solutions of flexoelectric microbeams based on a layerwise beam theory

Abstract

The theory of layerwise beam, which considers both microstructure and flexoelectric effects, is used in the curvature-based flexoelectricity theory. The displacement field function of the layerwise beam model is given. The governing equations and boundary conditions are obtained using a variational formulation based on Hamilton's principle. Analytical solutions for static bending and free vibration of a simply supported layerwise beam are derived. Isogeometric analysis (IGA) with higher-order continuity considering the flexoelectric effect is presented to numerically solve the static bending and free vibration problems. The results obtained from the analytical and IGA approaches are compared through several examples in which the microstructure and flexoelectric effects on the mechanical responses of layerwise nanobeams are analyzed.