Abstract
Unlike conventional electromechanical actuators, piezoelectric actuators could be utilized to execute precise motions while exerting significantly high forces. In an attempt to pursue the design of a practical three-dimensional piezoelectric micro-actuator, it has become necessary to obtain a full understanding of how such materials behave under arbitrarily applied external voltages. The solution of the governing equations of piezoelectricity by the use of analytical methodologies for even moderately complex scenarios is effectively impossible, A numerical solution scheme based on the method of finite elements has been developed to analyze the deformations of and potentials within piezoelectric materials subjected to external static voltage loadings, A set of dedicated computer codes has been created to model piezoelectric three-dimensional geometries. The specimens chosen for the purpose of numerical studies are representative of real-world piezoceramic materials. The results are found to be in excellent agreement with published product data.
