Electromechanical coupled deformation analysis of a hyper-elastic dielectric membrane under combined pressure and electric loading

¹ Department of Mechanical Engineering, BIT Mesra, 835215 Ranchi, Jharkhand, India
² Department of Mechanical Engineering, Shiv Nadar University, Dadri, 201314 Uttar Pradesh, India
³ Shell Australia Pty Ltd, Perth, Western Australia 6000, Australia

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Published online: 3 March 2026

Abstract

Dielectric elastomers are soft, lightweight, and highly deformable electroactive polymers that undergo large deformations when subjected to mechanical and electrical loading. This unique property makes them promising candidates for applications in artificial muscles, soft robotics, biomedical actuators, and sensors. In this study, the large deformation behavior of a flat, circular dielectric elastomer membrane, clamped at the boundary, is investigated under the combined influence of lateral pressure and an applied electric potential across its thickness. The resulting model provides a framework for predicting deformation profiles and electromechanical stability limits in dielectric elastomer actuators.