Approximation of the flexural velocity branch in plates

The fitting of the flexural velocity branch by means of the Pade´ approximation is examined. Its use for free isotropic plates is elaborated and compared to other approaches. The flexural-velocity expansion into power series, which underlies the Pade´ implementation, is detailed. The generalization for fluid-loaded plates and inhomogeneous plates is outlined, and the impact of anisotropy is discussed in some detail.