Effects of photostrictive actuator and active control of flexible membrane structure

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the flexible structure of parabolic shell using photostrictive actuators. The analysis is made to know its dynamic behavior and light-induced control forces for coupled parabolic shell. The effects of an actuator location as well as membrane and bending components under the control action have been analyzed considering the approximate spherical model. The parabolic membrane shell accuracy is being mathematically approximated and validated comparing the light induced control forces using approximate equivalent spherical shell model. The parabolic shell with kapton smart material and photostrictive actuators has been used to formulate the governing equation in the transverse direction. The Kirchhoff-Love assumptions are used to obtain the governing equation of shell with actuator. The mechanical membrane forces and bending moments for parabolic thin shell with actuator is used to analyze the dynamic effect. The results show that membrane control action is much more significant than bending control action. Photostrictive actuators oriented along circumferential direction (actuator-2) can give better control effect than actuators placed along longitudinal direction (actuator-1). The slight difference is observed between spherical and parabolic shell for a surface with focal length to the diameter ratio of 1.00 or more than unity. Space applications often have the shape of parabolical shells or shell of revolution, due to their required focusing, aiming, or reflecting performance. The present approach is focused that photostrictive actuators can effectively control the vibration of parabolical membrane shell. Also, the actuator's location plays an important role in defining the control force.