Abstract
This paper investigates experimentally and analytically the cyclic fatigue crack growth in piezoelectric ceramics under electromechanical loading. Cyclic crack growth tests were conducted on PZT ceramics subjected to dc electric fields, and a finite element analysis was employed to calculate the maximum energy release rate for the permeable crack model. Based on bending experiments using single-edge precracked-beam specimens, cyclic fatigue crack growth rates are found to be sensitive to the maximum energy release rate and applied dc electric fields. Possible mechanisms for crack growth were discussed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) examination of the fracture surface of the PZT ceramics.
