On the role of fluid viscosity in wave propagation in elastic plates under heavy fluid loading

This paper addresses free wave propagation and attenuation in elastic plates loaded by a quiescent viscous compressible fluid. To validate the adopted fluid model, an elementary problem of wave propagation in a layer of fluid is considered. Then wave propagation in a conventional Kirchhoff plate and in a sandwich plate loaded by a layer of viscous compressible fluid is analysed. The location of dispersion curves in each of these three cases is determined and compared with each other. The viscosity-induced attenuation of otherwise propagating 'fluid-originated' and 'structure-originated' waves is quantified. The parametric studies are conducted to explore the influence of, e.g., the width of a fluid layer or a stiffness ratio of the materials of skin and core plies in a sandwich plate on the wave attenuation. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.