Transmission and reflection of waves at structural junctions connecting thin orthotropic plates

Abstract We present a semi-analytical method for computing the reflection and transmission coefficients at joints connecting an arbitrary number of semi-infinite orthotropic plates based on the line-junction approximation. We use a wave approach and describe reflection, transmission and mode conversion between eigenmodes of the vibro-acoustic equations for orthotropic plates. A detailed derivation is presented here for the first time for an arbitrary number of plates meeting at the junction and without restrictions on the orientation of the principal material axes both with respect to the junction and with respect to the orientation in different plates. The approach is discussed for two specific example configurations, namely an L- and a T-shaped orthotropic plate junction. Furthermore, the scattering coefficients for a rib-stiffened orthotropic plate are derived, and the occurrence of resonance phenomena is discussed.