Vibration of piezoelectric elements surrounded by fluid media

In this paper we analyse vibrational characteristics of piezoceramic shells surrounded by acoustic media. Main results are presented for radially polarized piezoceramic PZT5 elements of hollow cylindrical shapes. The coupling in the radial direction between the solid and the acoustic media is accounted for indirectly, via impedance boundary conditions. The model based on such impedance boundary condition approximations offers a robust simplified alternative to a full scale fluid–solid interaction modelling. By using this model, we analyse numerically the influence of the boundary conditions imposed in the axial direction for long, medium, and short (disk-like) piezoceramic elements.