Verification of various modelling techniques for simply-supported piezoelectric actuated thin panels

In this work, three techniques for the mathematical modelling of a piezoelectric actuated thin panel, namely the finite element method, a Lagrange Rayleigh-Ritz method, and a mechanical impedance-based method, are briefly presented. An accurate experimental implementation of a piezoelectric actuated simply-supported panel, whose dynamics have been simulated using the mathematical models, is described in detail. Since the differences between the results produced by the various mathematical models are very small, the accuracy of the experimental set-up is crucial. The results obtained via the numerical simulations are then compared with test results in order to assess the accuracy of the various modelling techniques