Diffuse field transmission into infinite sandwich composite and laminate composite cylinders

This paper is concerned with the modelling of diffuse field transmission into composite laminate and sandwich composite infinite cylinders. Two models are presented and compared: Symmetrical Laminate composite and discrete thick laminate composite. The latter is shown to handle accurately, as a particular case, the first model, and the important case of sandwich composite shells. In both models, membrane, bending, transverse shearing as well as rotational inertia effects and orthotropic ply angle of the layers are considered. Starting from the dynamic equilibrium relations and stress-strain-displacement relations, a dispersion system is given in a wave approach context. Next, expressions for the matrix systems governing the structural impedance, critical frequencies and ring frequency are given. The developed equations are applied to the calculation of the diffuse field transmission of an infinite cylinder. Predictions with the presented models are compared to results presented in the literature for both laminate composite and sandwich composite configurations. They confirm the accuracy of both models and the general nature of the presented discrete thick laminate composite model. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.