  The purpose of this paper is to present a new mathematical model for the
dynamics of thin Cosserat elastic plates. Our approach, which is based on a
generalization of the classical Reissner-Mindlin plate theory, takes into
account the transverse variation of microrotation and corresponding
microintertia of the the elastic plates. The model assumes polynomial
approximations over the plate thickness of asymmetric stress, couple stress,
displacement, and microrotation, which are consistent with the elastic
equilibrium, boundary conditions and the constitutive relationships. Based on
the generalized Hellinger-Prange-Reissner variational principle for the
dynamics and strain-displacement relation we obtain the complete dynamic theory
of Cosserat plate.
  Key words: Cosserat materials, elastic plates, transverse microrotation,
variational principle, elastodynamics
