A Mixture Theory for Wave Propagation in Angle-Ply Laminates, Part 2: Application

A binary mixture theory with microstructure is constructed for symmetric angle-ply laminates with orthotropic laminas for wave motion in arbitrary directions. A numerical study of phase-velocity spectra associated with the resulting theory reveals that dispersion is most prominent in waveguide propagation. Further, it is directionally dependent and may be strong depending on the propagation direction and lay-up angle. Typical results are presented for a graphite/epoxy composite. To assess the accuracy of the mixture model, a finite element eigenvalue analysis has been carried out. The comparisons of exact versus mixture phase-velocity spectra imply that the theory provides a tool with which one may efficiently study the rather extraordinary capability of angle-ply laminates to act as “shock absorbers.”