Abstract
A phenomenological formulation of polarization reversal of piezoelectric materials s proposed based on the dynamics of domain switching. This formulation provides a method to describe the hysteresis in piezoelectricity as well as in electromagnetics. It is shown that a good ap proach to describe the nonlinear induced strain-field behavior and electromechanical hysteresis in piezoelectricity is by combining the macroscopic phenomenological aspects with the microscopic naterial properties. A one-dimensional thermo-electro-mechanical constitutive model for piezo ceramics which undergo polarization reversal is presented using a continuum mechanics approach. This model is based on thermodynamic principles and reflects the essence of the electromechanical behavior of piezoceramics in a simple form. It is illustrated that this theory can describe the elec romechanical behavior of piezoceramics simply and reasonably well.