PROPAGATION OF LEAKY PLATE WAVES IN FLUID-LOADED COMPOSITE LAMINATES

An analytical model for the reflection coefficient of a multi-directional composite laminate immersed in fluid is proposed. The model is based on the use of effective laminate properties. The predicted amplitudes of reflected beams compared favorably with the experimental values. The leaky plate wave speeds were measured in various directions of the unidirectional laminate and three other laminates (quasi-isotropic, angle-ply, and cross-ply) using nonspecular ultrasonic reflection. The measured wave speeds agreed well with the predicted ones considering the heterogeneity of the composites used.