Wave propagation in heterogeneous anisotropic plates involving large deflection

Equations of motion for laminated plates of composite materials are derived for motions of large amplitudes as well as for incremental deformations superposed on large deflections. Free waves of large and small amplitudes propagating, respectively, in initially flat and deformed plates are investigated. By using a special substitution for the extensional displacement components the governing equations appear to be linear and consequently the analysis of free wave propagation greatly simplified. It is found that a train of free wave consists of a finite number of simple harmonic waves.