| Abstract: | In order to show the significance of considering nonlinear deformations in piezoelectrical structures, a geometrical nonlinear shell element with integrated piezoelectric layers is introduced. The strain‐displacement relations are implemented using firstorder shear deformation theory with small strains but moderate rotations. The element has been tested on several benchmark problems and it can be concluded that the effect of geometrical nonlinearity is significant when the sensor properties of the piezoelectrical layers are predicted. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) |
