Dispersion of elastic waves in the three-layered inhomogeneous sandwich plate embedded in the Winkler foundations

Abstract

This research article investigates the behavior of elastic waves in an inhomogeneous isotropic three-layered sandwich plate with soft-core and stiff-skin layers embedded in Winkler foundations, using anti-plane shear motion. The study establishes the exact antisymmetric dispersion relation, low-frequency spectrum, and overall cut-off frequency of the wave propagation. A shortened polynomial dispersion relation is developed for the long-wave low-frequency regime by considering the contrasting material setup and compared with the exact dispersion relation. This article also provides exact and asymptotic formulas for stresses and displacements in each layer of the plate, as well as approximate one-dimensional equations of motion. The results suggest that the approximate equations of motion for the three-layered sandwich plate are valid throughout the entire low-frequency range, despite the presence of Winkler foundations on both sides of the plate. This research is significant as it provides insights into the behavior of waves in composite materials and can be used to improve the design of sandwich structures used in various engineering applications. Additionally, the findings that the approximate equations of motion for the three-layered sandwich plate are valid throughout the low-frequency range, despite the presence of Winkler foundations, can help simplify calculations and make the design process more efficient.