Abstract: The sandwich beam with a 1-5 type piezoelectric material core is a new type piezoelectric adaptive structure. In this paper, it is analyzed with finite element method and experimental method. On the basis of constitutive equation of orthotropic material and piezo-equation of piezoelectric material, the control equation for the piezoelectric adaptive sandwich beam is formulated. The actuating effect of piezoelectric material is converted into an equivalent mechanical load,resulting in a simplified computational process. It is shown in two examples that the numerical results based on the present finite element analysis are in good agreement with the experimental result and other available data.