Actuation of Parabolic Cylindrical Shell Panels With Light-Activated Shape Memory Actuators

Parabolic cylindrical shell panels are used in optical and aerospace structures. Light-activated shape memory polymer (LaSMP) is a novel smart material and it is capable of offering a non-contact actuation and control in room temperature. In this study, the parabolic cylindrical shell panels laminated with LaSMP actuators are analyzed. Firstly the dynamic equations of the parabolic cylindrical shell panels coupled with the LaSMP actuators are established; the modal control force of LaSMP actuators is derived with the modal expansion method. Then the strain variation of the LaSMP actuators are modeled based on the chemical kinetics. Further, the shape-memory recovery effect of an LaSMP actuator with initial strains is measured in laboratory. The experiment data of strain variation are used to validate the established strain model. Finally, in the case study the modal control forces of LaSMP actuators for the first four shell modes, i.e., the (1,3), (1,4), (2,4) and (2,5) modes are analyzed. The study shows that LaSMP actuators can induce strains not only in the x, Ψ directions but also in the xΨ direction (induced by the warping effect). The reason is that LaSMP actuators are easy to be cut in any shapes and be deformed in any directions. Thus, LaSMP actuators have potential applications for the non-contact vibration control of double-curvature shells.