Approximation of the flexural velocity branch in plates

The fitting of the flexural velocity branch by means of the Padé approximation is examined. Its use for free isotropic plates is elaborated and compared to other approaches. The flexural-velocity expansion into power series, which underlies the Padé implementation, is detailed. The generalization for fluid-loaded plates and inhomogeneous plates is outlined, and the impact of anisotropy is discussed in some detail.