Higher order zig-zag theory for smart composite shells under mechanical-thermo-electric loading

A higher order zig-zag shell theory based on general tensor formulation is developed to refine the predictions of the mechanical, thermal, and electric behaviors. All the complicated curvatures of surface including twisting curvatures can be described in a geometrically exact manner in the present shell theory because the present theory is based on the geometrically exact surface representation. The in-surface displacement fields are constructed by superimposing the linear zig-zag field to the smooth globally cubic varying field through the thickness. Smooth parabolic distribution through the thickness is assumed in the out-of-plane displacement in order to consider transverse normal deformation and stress. The layer-dependent degrees of freedom of displacement fields are expressed in terms of reference primary degrees of freedom by applying interface continuity conditions as well as bounding surface free conditions of transverse shear stresses. Thus the proposed theory has only seven primary displacement unknowns and they do not depend upon the number of layers. To assess the validity of present theory, the developed theory is evaluated under the thermal and electric load as well as under the mechanical load of composite cylindrical shells. Through the numerical examples, it is demonstrated that the proposed smart shell theory is efficient because it has the minimal degrees of freedom. The present theory is suitable in the predictions of deformation and stresses of thick smart composite shells under the mechanical, thermal, and electric loads combined. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.