Dispersion curves of infinite laminate panels through a modal analysis of finite cylinders

This work presents an approach for using a modal analysis on an equivalent finite cylindrical model, to predict the elastic waves in infinite, isotropic or composite, panels. In the description of the infinite paths, an analogy, between the classical topologies of a straight line and a circumference, is exploited and tested. Different aspects, concerning the wave-mode duality and the discretization and the needed radii of curvature, are investigated to frame the problem and test the robustness of the methodology. The analysis presents a well conditioned problem and solution for any propagation wave angle by transforming the original problem into a simple modal analysis.