Cylindrical shell control with center- and corner-placed photostrictive skew-quad actuators

Light-driven photostrictive actuators can induce control actions capable of wireless non-contact actuation and control of precision structures and systems. Conventional distributed actuators laminated on shells and plates usually introduce only uniform control forces and moments. Structural actuation and control based on uniform control forces and moments have been investigated for over two decades. This paper is to exploit a new photostrictive actuator design, i.e., a skew-quad (SQ) actuator system and this new distributed SQ system laminated on shells and plates can introduce non-uniform control forces and moments. The new SQ actuator system is composed of four pieces of photostrictive materials and inner two edges of each piece are bonded to a cross fixture. Under the irradiation of high-energy lights, each piece generates non-uniform control forces and moments, due to its uneven nonsymmetrical boundary conditions. Modal actuation characteristics of a cylindrical shell coupled with a center-placed and corner-placed skew-quad actuator system are evaluated respectively. A paired-design regulating positive/negative control forces of each actuator region is proposed to improve the control effectiveness of the center-located skew-quad actuator system. Parametric analysis proves improved control effectiveness of unsymmetrical shell modes.