Theoretical transient analysis and wave propagation of piezoelectric bi-materials

The transient response of piezoelectric bi-materials subjected to a dynamic anti-plane concentrated force or electric charge with perfectly bonded interface is examined in the present study. The problem is solved by using the Laplace transform method and the inverse Laplace transform is evaluated by means of Cagniard’s method. Exact transient full-field solutions of the contribution for each wave are expressed in explicit closed forms. The transient behavior of field quantities is examined in detail by numerical calculations. The existence condition of a propagating surface wave along the interface is discussed in detail. A surface wave can be guided by the interface of two semi-infinite materials in contact if one, at least, of these two materials is piezoelectric. The propagation velocity of the surface wave is explicitly expressed and is found to be less than the lower shear wave velocity of the two materials. The existence of the surface wave for piezoelectric–piezoelectric bi-materials is restricted to the situation that the shear waves of the two piezoelectric materials are very close. The possibility for the existence of the surface wave for piezoelectric–elastic bi-materials is much greater than that of the piezoelectric–piezoelectric bi-materials.