Electric field strength effect on bi-stability of composite thin cylindrical shell with piezoelectric layer

The bistable thin cylindrical shell is developable structure with the ability to transition between its two stable configurations. This structure offers significant potential applications due to its excellent deformability. In this paper, the composite thin cylindrical shell consisting of the composite layer and the piezoelectric layer was investigated. The material and geometric parameters of the shell were found to influence its stable characteristics. The analysis model of the composite thin cylindrical shell incorporating the piezoelectric layer was developed, and the expressions for its strain energy were derived. By applying the minimum energy principle, the impact of the electric field intensity on the bi-stable behaviors of the cylindrical shell was analyzed. The results showed that the shell exhibited the bistability only under the appropriate electric field strength. And the accuracy of the theoretical prediction was verified by simulation experiments. This study provides an important reference for the application of deployable structures.