UV-Activated Frequency Control of Beams and Plates Based on Isogeometric Analysis

A new LaSMP smart material exhibits shape memory behaviors and stiffness variation via UV light exposures. This dynamic stiffness provides a new noncontact actuation mechanism for engineering structures. Isogeometric analysis utilizes high order and high continuity NURBS as basis functions which naturally fulfills C¹-continuity requirement of Euler-Bernoulli beam and Kirchhoff plate theories. The UV light-activated frequency control of LaSMP laminated beam and plate structures based on the isogeometric analysis is presented in this study. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed isogeometric approach are demonstrated via several numerical examples in frequency control. The results show that, with LaSMPs, broadband frequency control of beam and plate structures can be realized. Furthermore, the length of LaSMP patches on beams is varied, which further broadens its frequency variation ranges. Studies suggest that 1) the newly developed IGA is an effective numerical tool and 2) the maximum frequency change ratio of beam and plate structures respectively reach 24.30% and 6.37%, which demonstrates the feasibility of LaSMPs induced vibration control of structures.