Smart material technology is an active area of research, with promising applications that include, for instance, control systems [2,8] and nondestructive evaluation [3,8]. Among the different types of smart material structures currently studied, structures with bonded piezoelectric cermaic patches are of particular interest [6]. When an electric field is applied, piezoceramic patches induce strains in the material to which they are bonded and, conversely, they produce a voltage when a deformation occurs in the material [7,8]. As a consequence, these patches can act both as actuators and sensors, providing the host structure with smart material capabilities.
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