Dynamics of a 3-D panel of isotropic and orthotropic elastic layers

Presented are exact and approximate models of frequency and transient response of a rectangular 3-D panel of isotropic and orthotropic layers with general ordering across the thickness, and simply supported along its four edges. The models adopt transfer matrices to relate state variables over the two faces of a layer. Transient response utilizes a modal expansion while the forcing function utilizes the static–dynamic superposition method. The approximate model assumes that transverse displacement is constant across the thickness. Except for its inability to predict stress normal to the panel’s plane and inaccuracy in flexural stresses over the footprint, results from the approximate model compare favorably to those from the exact.