Wave Propagation in Viscoelastic Laminates

Abstract

For a simplified model of a laminated medium consisting of alternating layers of elastic and viscoelastic materials, the dispersion and attenuation characteristics for “plane,” longitudinal waves propagating in the direction of the layering are obtained. The dispersion and attenuation curves depend on a structure parameter involving the thickness of the layers and can deviate significantly from corresponding results for a continuum “effective-modulus” model. Curves are presented for a specific case with representative material parameters showing the effect of structure and of variations in the parameters of the composite.