In recent developments of smart structures laminated composites with embedded distributed piezoelectric laryers as sensors and actuators are used frequently. Due to high mechanical and electrical loads, and even due to failures during manufacturing process, cracks and debonding may occur in the active layer, which can result in sigificant changes of the static and dynamic responses of the structure. The main focus of this paper is to investigate delamination damage of adaptive composites and to develop an efficient finite element procedure to model and analyse delamination propagation. A mixed strain energy release rate is used to predict the dampage mechanisms of adaptive laminated composites. For the analysis multifunctional finite elements with coupling of electro-mechanical fields have been develped. Finite element analysis together with a damage criterion is used to analyse the delamination in an adaptive laminate. The results in-dicate that an electric field can either aid or retard crack propagation depending on the direction of electric loading.
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