The dynamics of multilayer elastic structures with embedded or surface piezoelectric layers is investigated in this article. The dynamics of such systems in various configurations (sensing or actuating layers) involves the solution of coupled electro-mechanical equations that describe the elastic variable in the laminate and the electric variables in the piezoelectric layers. This article is concerned with an efficient and accurate modeling of thin elastic-piezoelectric plane laminates using a discrete-layer approach. In contrast to other approaches that require a discretization of the laminate through its thickness, the proposed approach assumes linear variations of elastic displacements and electric potentials through each layer of the laminate, and uses displacement and shear stress continuity requirements at the interface between layers in order to condense the elastic degrees of freedom of the problem. The independent variables of the laminate are the elastic variables of a reference layer and the electric potentials of each piezoelectric layer. Formulations and numerical results are presented for the free vibrations of elastic-piezoelectric laminates in various configurations (closed or open electrodes), and for the actuation by a piezoelectric layer, or in the response of a sensory piezoelectric layer.
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