This paper investigates the vibrational damping characteristics of laminated plates composed of elastic, viscoelastic and elastic layers by theoretical and experimental methods. Laminated plates are in cylindrical bending and visco-elastic adhesive layer is assumed as the visco-elastic spring which takes damping effect through both shear and normal deformations. Governing equations oof laminated plates are derived in the form of simultaneous first order differential equations, which account for the longitudinal displacements, rotary inertia and shear deformations of elastic base plate and elastic constraining plate. The numerical calculations of the equations are illustrated by the applications to the cantilever beam in transverse vibration. The results of the solutions agree well with the experimental measurements in general. The damping effects due to the shear and thickness deformations in the adhesives are analyzed and it is shown that for thicker adhesives, the damping effect due to thickness deformation becomes significant and for thinner adhesives, due to shear deformation.