A regular variational boundary model for free vibrations of magneto-electro-elastic structures

In this paper a regular variational boundary element formulation for dynamic analysis of two-dimensional magneto-electro-elastic domains is presented. The method is based on a hybrid variational principle expressed in terms of generalized magneto-electro-elastic variables. The domain variables are approximated by using a superposition of weighted regular fundamental solutions of the static magneto-electro-elastic problem, whereas the boundary variables are expressed in terms of nodal values. The variational principle coupled with the proposed discretization scheme leads to the calculation of frequency-independent and symmetric generalized stiffness and mass matrices. The generalized stiffness matrix is computed in terms of boundary integrals of regular kernels only. On the other hand, to achieve meaningful computational advantages, the domain integral defining the generalized mass matrix is reduced to the boundary through the use of the dual reciprocity method, although this implies the loss of symmetry. A purely boundary model is then obtained for the computation of the structural operators. The model can be directly used into standard assembly procedures for the analysis of non-homogeneous and layered structures. Additionally, the proposed approach presents some features that place it in the framework of the weak form meshless methods. Indeed, only a set of scattered points is actually needed for the variable interpolation, while a global background boundary mesh is only used for the integration of the influence coefficients. The results obtained show good agreement with those available in the literature proving the effectiveness of the proposed approach.