Effects of Interlayer Interfacial Stiffness on Ultrasonic Wave Propagation in Composite Laminates at Oblique Incidence

The transmission characteristics of ultrasonic wave impinging obliquely on composite laminates are analyzed. Incorporating the influence of thin resin-rich regions between adjacent plies by spring-type interfaces, the amplitude transmission coefficient of a unidirectional composite laminate immersed in water is calculated by the stiffness-matrix method. Using Floquet's theorem, the dispersion relation for the infinitely laminated structure is also calculated. Comparison between two results reveals that the frequency band-gaps in the dispersion relation agree well with the low-transmission frequency ranges of the finite laminated case. Comparing with the experimental transmission coefficients for an 11-ply carbon-epoxy composite laminate, the theoretical results are verified.