Transverse vibrations of a thin rectangular porous plate saturated by a fluid

A simple model of the transverse vibrations of a thin rectangular porous pl ate saturated by a fluid is proposed. The model is based on the classical t heory of homogeneous plates and on Biot's stress-strain relations in an iso tropic porous medium with a uniform porosity. Two coupled dynamic equations of equilibrium relating the plate deflection and the fluid/solid relative displacement are found and their physical interpretation is given. The ener gy dissipation by viscous friction is included in the model. An approximate calculation of the natural frequencies of vibration is given for rigid pla tes with various boundary conditions at the edges. The influence of porosit y, tortuosity and permeability on the resonances is studied and a condition of maximum damping involving these parameters is given. (C) 2001 Academic Press.