Propagation modeling of periodic laminated composite structures

A new model based on filament-current and thin-current assumptions is proposed to analyze the propagation problem associated with the lossy periodic multilayer structure of conducting fibers situated in a dielectric matrix. To discuss the combined effect of fibers and dielectric matrix, reflection and transmission matrices at the air-matrix, and grating interfaces together with suitable phase correction are incorporated in the model in which the fiber grating is regarded as a thin Floquet layer. To reduce the central processing unit (CPU) time, an extended filament-current model for the same multilayer structure is also examined. In this study, numerical results for the graphite/epoxy (G/E) fiber-reinforced planar laminated composite materials are presented and discussed. In particular, the parameters that influence their shielding and reflection characteristics are investigated in detail. The new model is useful in characterizing the G/E fiber-reinforced laminated composites even up to the frequency of 100 GHz.