SIMULATION OF VIBRATION OF INHOMOGENEOUS, LOADED PLATES

The Timoshenko-Mindlin type wave equation is derived for a plate which is inhomogeneous in material and geometric properties. A numerical an alogue to this wave equation for a plate is presented and results of p ropagation studies of Gaussian and sinusoidal wavepackets along a plat e reinforced by ribs of up to five times the thickness of the plate ar e discussed. Results are presented for an infinite plate supported by two ribs. The plate equation includes consideration of shear and rotar y inertia, external loading and plastic-visco-elastic loss. A spectral analysis of the inhomogeneous plate equation is presented.