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The work deals with the development of an effective numerical tool in the form of pseudospectral method for wave propagation analysis in anisotropic and inhomogeneous structures. Chebyshev polynomials are used as basis functions and Chebyshev-Gauss-Lobatto points are used as grid points. The formulation is implemented in the same way as conventional finite element method. The element is tested successfully on a variety of problems involving isotropic, orthotropic and functionally graded material (FGM) structures. The formulation is validated by performing static, free vibration and wave propagation analysis. The accuracy of the element in predicting stresses is compared with conventional finite elements. Free vibration analysis is carried out on composite and FGM beams and the computational resources saved in each case are presented. Wave propagation analysis is carried out using the element on anisotropic and inhomogeneous beams and layer structures. Wave propagation in thin double bounded media over long propagating distances is studied. Finally, a study on scattering of waves due to embedded horizontal and vertical cracks is carried out, where the effectiveness of modulated pulse in detecting small cracks in composites and FGMs has been demonstrated.

A new spectral plate element (SPE) is developed to analyze wave propagation in anisotropic laminated composite media. The element is based on the first-order laminated plate theory, which takes shear deformation into consideration. The element is formulated using the recently developed methodology of spectral finite element formulation based on the solution of a polynomial eigenvalue problem. By virtue of its frequency-wave number domain formulation, single element is sufficient to model large structures, where conventional finite element method will incur heavy cost of computation. The variation of the wave numbers with frequency is shown, which illustrates the inhomogeneous nature of the wave. The element is used to demonstrate the nature of the wave propagating in laminated composite due to mechanical impact and the effect of shear deformation on the mechanical response is demonstrated. The element is also upgraded to an active spectral plate clement for modeling open and closed loop vibration control of plate structures. Further, delamination is introduced in the SPE and scattered wave is captured for both broadband and modulated pulse loading.