• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.395-410
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• 2006

This paper reports the result of an investigation into wave propagation in orthotropic laminated piezoelectric cylindrical shells in hydrothermal environment. A dynamic model of laminated piezoelectric cylindrical shell is derived based on Cooper-Naghdi shell theory considering the effects of transverse shear and rotary inertia. The wave characteristics curves are obtained by solving an eigenvalue problem. The effects of layer numbers, thickness of piezoelectric layers, thermal loads and humid loads on the wave characteristics curves are discussed through numerical results. The solving method presented in the paper is validated by the solution of a classical elastic shell non-containing the effects of transverse shear and rotary inertia. The new features of the wave propagation in laminated piezoelectric cylindrical shells with various laminated material, layer numbers and thickness in hydrothermal environment and some meaningful and interesting results in this paper are helpful for the application and the design of the ultrasonic inspection techniques and structural health monitoring.