Dynamics of two-layer smart composite Timoshenko beams: Frequency domain spectral element analysis

•This article presents a spectral element model for a two-layer smart composite beam.•The smart composite beam consists of a host composite beam layer and a PZT layer.•The spectral element model is evaluated by comparison with results obtained by ANSYS.•The effects of beam theories applied to the composite beam layer are investigated.•The effects of the composite lay-up on the wave propagation are investigated.

Ultrasonic guided waves in a laminated composite structure can be excited or measured using piezoelectric transducers (PZTs). In this study, we propose a spectral element model for two-layer smart composite Timoshenko beams that consist of a host composite beam and a PZT layer. Contrary to the previous study (2012) where the Bernoulli-Euler beam theory was applied to the host composite beam, the Timoshenko beam theory and the Mindlin-Herrmann rod theory were applied in this study. The proposed spectral element model was evaluated first by comparison with standard finite element analyses, and it was then used to investigate the guided waves in some laminated composite beams.