Transient Response of Transversely Isotropic Composite Plates to a Point Source

Abstract

In this paper, transient three-dimensional response of a transversely isotropic composite plate to a time varying point load is efficiently computed by reducing the elastodynamic equation through integral and coordinate transformations to a series of two-dimensional problems, each associated with a plane wave along a given direction in the plate. Discrete equations of a semi-analytical finite element model are solved for the thickness profile eigendata at a given frequency. Three-dimensional steady state responses in the wave number domain are formed by summing contributions from eigenmodes over propagation directions. The transient response is obtained by a numerical integration of inverse Fourier time transform of these steady state responses. Present results showed good agreement with data reported in the literature and confirmed previously observed phenomena.