Energy harvesting from vibrations of a bi-stable curved fiber composite plate using piezoelectric layers

Abstract

This paper investigates energy harvesting from the vibrations of a bi-stable curved fiber composite (BCFC) plate integrated with macro fiber composite (MFC) layers. The dual focus of this work is as follows. First, the electromechanical modeling of the MFC layers is performed using Hamilton’s principle and von Kármán’s nonlinear strain–displacement relations, and the harvested electrical power is computed through the coupling between structural deformation and the piezoelectric response. Second, the effect of curved fiber arrangements on the stiffness distribution and bi-stability of the plate is analyzed, demonstrating how variable-stiffness tailoring influences snap-through behavior and harvesting efficiency. A dynamic analysis of the BCFC plate is conducted, and a new seventh-order shape function for the out-of-plane displacement field is proposed. Using Hamilton’s principle and von Karman’s nonlinear strain-displacement relationships, the kinetic energy, potential energy, and work done by external forces on the plate are derived. The electromechanical equations of motion are obtained using a developed Hermitian model, and the system’s dynamic response under harmonic base excitation is calculated and compared with finite element method (FEM) results. The natural frequency of the BCFC plate in a stable state is determined. Finally, energy harvesting from the plate’s vibrations is analyzed, demonstrating the effects of fiber shapes and nonlinear behavior during the jump phenomenon on energy harvesting efficiency.