Forced response of FRP sandwich panels with viscoelastic materials

In this paper a new analytical model is presented that accurately predicts the forced response of fibre reinforced plastic (FRP) sandwich plates subjected to transverse applied loads. It is based on Reddy's refined high order shear deformation theory and offers the feasibility of accounting for the viscoelastic properties of the constitutive materials without restriction to the steady state motion. This is achieved by modelling the viscoelastic behaviour of the constitutive materials using the Golla Hughes McTavish mathematical tool. Validation of the new approach is achieved by comparing results under harmonic loading conditions against data obtained using the proposed new analytical model. Subsequently, predicted responses for a given FRP sandwich plate under various transverse applied loads are presented. The results outline the importance of being able to account for the viscoelastic properties of the constitutive materials when modelling the dynamic behaviour of sandwich structures. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.