This work presents the numerical characterisation of all necessary effective properties of a \(d_{31}\) macro-fibre composite (MFC) transducer for a full 3D finite element (FE) analysis. This is done by extending a previous FE homogenization methodology to evaluate the full 3D effective mechanical, piezoelectric and dielectric coefficients of a \(d_{31}\) MFC based on known geometrical and material properties of its constituents, accounting in particular for the effect of electrode and protective layers. This includes the evaluation of piezoelectric and dielectric coefficients that are neither available in the literature nor are provided by the manufacturer. This is done by proposing new local problems compared to those presented in the literature. Obtained results for the effective material properties agree very well with those available in the literature or provided by the manufacturer. Then, the full 3D effective properties are applied to a full 3D FE analysis of a smart structure with a bonded \(d_{31}\) MFC for piezoelectric energy harvesting, including modal analyses in both short- and open-circuit electric boundary conditions and evaluation of the voltage induced in the \(d_{31}\) MFC and the potentially harvestable energy through the \(d_{31}\) MFC due to a base excitation. Obtained results are in good agreement with experimental ones available in the literature.
