Signal response of rib-stiffened plates covered by decoupling coating layers

This paper proposes a fully elastic theoretical model for the signal response of a periodically rib-stiffened plate covered with a decoupling coating layer, in which the elastic plate and the coating layer are modeled by adopting the plain strain elasticity theory. The fluid loadings on the two sides of the structure are taken into account, which thus enables the model to handle the case that the coated structure is immersed in two different fluids. The periodicity introduced by the parallel distribution of rib-stiffeners is considered by utilizing the space harmonic series to express the solutions. The resultant equations are formulated by the displacement and stress continuity conditions at the fluid/coating, coating/plate and plate/fluid interfaces. The signal response of the structure can be obtained by solving these resultant equations, built upon which numerical investigation is conducted. Specific interests are focused on the investigation for the signal velocity component distributions with the sound incident angle, frequency, location through the coating thickness, as well as the effect of coating material properties. The drawn conclusions provide useful guidance for the vector velocity measurement and optimal design of the rib-stiffened plate covered with the decoupling coating layer.