Elastodynamic behavior of laminated orthotropic plates under initial stress

A finite element method of analysis of the vibrational and wave propagational characteristics is presented for a laminated orthotropic plate under initial stress. The plate may have an arbitrary number of bonded elastic orthotropic layers, each with distinct thickness, density and mechanical properties, and the analysis is capable of treating a completely arbitrary three-dimensional state of initial stress. Biot's theory for incremental elastic deformations of a stressed solid forms the basis for this study. A homogeneous, isotropic plate under two different states of initial stress was analyzed and their numerical results showed excellent correlation with those from an exact solution. Further examples of a three layer composite plate and a sandwich plate are offered to add some general insight to the physical behavior of such plates.