Impact on multilayered composite plates

Stress wave propagation in a multilayer composite plate due to impact was examined by means of the anisotropic elasticity theory. The plate was modelled as a number of identical anisotropic layers and the approximate plate theory of Mindlin was then applied to each layer to obtain a set of difference-differential equations of motion. Dispersion relations for harmonic waves and correction factors were found. The governing equations were reduced to difference equations via integral transforms. With given impact boundary conditions these equations were solved for an arbitrary number of layers in the plate and the transient propagation of waves was calculated by means of a Fast Fourier Transform algorithm. The multilayered plate problem was extended to examine the effect of damping layers present between two elastic layers. A reduction of the interlaminar normal stress was significant when the thickness of damping layer was increased but the effect was mostly due to the softness of the damping layer. Finally, the problem of a composite plate with a crack on the interlaminar boundary was formulated.