Displacement Control of a Beam using Photostrictive Optical Actuators

Photostrictive materials are emerging as a new actuation medium. In contrast to the traditional transducers, photostrictive materials can produce actuation strains as a result of irradiation from incident light, having neither electric lead wires nor electric circuits. In this study, a static analytical model is derived for a flexural beam with surface bonded photostrictive optical actuators. An analysis of the proposed model is carried out by considering the induced force and bending moment produced on the beam by the patched actuator. Analytical solutions of the transverse deflection, induced by the photostrictive actuators, are derived for different boundary conditions. Those solutions are explicitly expressed in terms of the geometry and position of the actuators patched on the beam. To support the validity of the developed model, a finite element verification is presented. This research work investigates the application of photostrictive actuators for optimum displacement control of a flexible beam structure. Studies are performed to examine the effects of various actuator locations and lengths on photostrictive actuation.