Flexural wave dispersion in orthotropic plates with heavy fluid loading

Area of Science:

• Solid mechanics
• Acoustics
• Materials science

Background:

• Orthotropic plates exhibit angle-dependent flexural wave propagation.
• Understanding fluid-structure interactions is crucial for many engineering applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of fluid loading on the angular dependence of flexural wave numbers in orthotropic plates.
• To quantify the effect of water on wave propagation in composite plates.

Main Methods:

• Developed an analytical model for fluid-loaded orthotropic plates.
• Modeled the plate using classical laminated plate theory.
• Modeled the fluid as an ideal acoustic fluid.
• Solved the resulting tenth-order polynomial dispersion relation numerically.

Main Results:

• Fluid loading has a relatively small effect on the angular dependence of flexural wavenumbers for typical composite plates in water.
• The angular dependence of wavenumber is magnified by fluid loading.
• The addition of fluid loading does not significantly distort the angular dependence.

Conclusions:

• The study provides insights into the behavior of flexural waves in fluid-loaded composite plates.
• The findings suggest that fluid loading's influence on angular dependence is limited for common materials.
• The analytical model and numerical solutions offer a framework for further research in fluid-structure interaction.