On the existence of flexural edge waves on submerged elastic plates

The existence of flexural waves confined to the free edge of a fluid-loaded plate is established theoretically. Whereas analogous in vacuo edge waves exist for all parameter values, submerged plates are shown herein to suppor t such waves only under very light fluid-loading conditions. For example, t hin plates of aluminium, brass or Plexiglas will not support edge waves in water, although edge waves are permissible for each of these materials in a ir. The analysis is based on classical thin-plate theory and employs the Wi ener-Hopf technique to derive the dispersion relation for the edge-wave wav enumber as a function of frequency In the limit of zero fluid loading the d ispersion relation predicts the well-known result of Konenkov for edge wave s on thin plates in vacuo.