Certain integral and differential types of variational principles in nonlinear piezoelectricity

Abstract

Various forms of variational principles are developed and used to generate, as Euler-Lagrange equations, the fundamental differential equations of nonlinear piezoelectricity. First, Hamilton's principle is rigorously applied to the motion of an electroelastic solid with small piezoelectric coupling, and an associated variational principle is readily derived. Then, by use of the dislocation potentials and Lagrange undetermined multipliers (Friedrich's transformation), the variational principle is augmented for the motion of a piezoelectric solid region with an internal surface of discontinuity. To incorporate the constraints into the two-field variational principle, Friedrich's transformation is again applied, and a unified variational principle is systematically established. This unified variational principle is shown to produce the fundamental equations of an electroelastic solid with small piezoelectric coupling.