A beam finite element for magneto-electro-elastic multilayered composite structures

A new finite element based upon an elastic equivalent single-layer model for shear deformable and straight magneto-electro-elastic generally laminated beam is presented. The element has six degrees of freedom represented by the displacement components and the cross-section rotation of its two nodes. The magneto-electric boundary conditions enter the discrete problem as work-equivalent forces and moments while the electro-magnetic state characterization constitutes a post-processing step. The element possesses the superconvergence property for the static problem of beams with uniform crosssection and homogenous material properties along the beam axis direction. Moreover, it is free from the shear locking phenomenon. The developed finite element is validated through comparison with plane-stress results for piezoelectric and magneto-electro-elastic structures. Last, applications for more complex magneto-electro-elastic systems are described.