Guided waves in layered media: Twin ZGV and ambiguity of dispersion spectrum.

The twin zero group velocity (ZGV) points are observed, which belong to the fundamental symmetric branch (S0) of Lamb waves propagating in a composite traction-free layered plate containing odd number of layers with alternating physical properties. It is shown that in a vicinity of these ZGV points an ambiguity of dispersion spectrum takes place, resulting in the appearance of several waves, which (i) belong to the same fundamental mode; (ii) satisfy the same boundary conditions; and, (iii) propagate at the same frequency, however (iv) with different phase velocities. The analysis is based on a combination of Cauchy formalism and the exponential fundamental matrix method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]