Dispersion of Thermoelastic Waves in a Plate With and Without Energy Dissipation

In this paper, the dispersion and energy dissipation of thermoelastic plane har- monic waves in a thin plate bounded by insulated traction-free surfaces is studied on the basis of three generalized theories of thermoelasticity. The fre- quency equations corresponding to the symmetric and antisymmetric modes of vibration of the plate are obtained. Some limiting and particular cases of the frequency equations are then discussed. Results obtained in three theories of generalized thermoelasticity are compared. The results for the coupled thermo- elasticity can be obtained as particular cases of the results by setting thermal relaxations times equal to zero. Numerical evaluations relating to the lower modes of the symmetric and antisymmetric waves are preseInted for an aluminum alloy plate.