Abstract
Piezoceramics are piezoelectric materials that can convert electric energy into mechanical energy, and vice versa. When piezoceramics are used in combination with elastic materials, they can provide sophisticated actuations in a range of devices. This paper proposes a structural topology optimization method for obtaining multiple-actuation piezoelectric actuators composed of piezoceramics and flexible structures. First, a new type of homogenization design method is introduced, in which continuous material distributions are assumed using a continuous interpolation function at each node, in order to overcome numerical instabilities. Next, actuator design requirements are clarified and the corresponding objective functions are formulated. A new type of multi-objective function is presented to enable multiple-actuation designs and an optimization algorithm is developed using Sequential Linear Programming (SLP). Finally, several examples are provided in order to confirm the usefulness of the generated optimal designs for the multiple-actuation piezoelectric actuators.
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