Multiscale and probabilistic modelling of micro electromechanical systems

Multiscale and probabilistic modelling of micro electromechanical systems

Verhoosel, C.V.

De Borst, R. (promotor)
Gutierrez, M.A. (promotor)

Aerospace Engineering

Aerospace Materials & Manufacturing

2009-10-12

Micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) are nowadays used in many applications, such as airbag accelerometers and inkjet printer heads. With the number of applications growing, the need for advanced numerical tools to aid in the design of MEMS increases. The development of such tools is far from trivial, since numerical modelling of MEMS poses various challenges, such as the simulation of multiphysical effects, multiscale effects and effects of microstructural randomness. In this dissertation, computational techniques have been developed to asses the reliability of MEMS. More specifically, a cohesive zone formulation has been used to mimic crack growth in piezoelectric continua. A multiphysical finite element model has been developed to correctly simulate the electromechanical coupling in such materials. A computational homogenisation method has been proposed to efficiently incorporate microstructural effects in a macroscale analysis. Stochastic finite element methods have been employed to include the effects of microstructural imperfections on the behaviour of MEMS.

multiscale modelling
cohesive zone modelling
partition of unity method
stochastic finite element methods
micro electromechanical systems

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:056f2e52-45ba-4dd8-a63b-dcda33ad0e20

2009-10-12

9789079488759

Institutional Repository

doctoral thesis

(c) 2009 Verhoosel, C.V.