The Laminated Medium

Abstract

An important motivation for a detailed study of the propagation of harmonic waves in laminated media and fiber reinforced composites is that effective elastic constants can conveniently be measured by ultrasonic testing techniques. These techniques have the advantage that small specimens can be used, and that good control and reproducibility can be achieved. Typically one measures phase velocity or group velocity for a number of frequencies. The extrapolation to zero frequency then provides the velocity for very long waves, from which an effective elastic constant can be determined.