A proof that multiple waves propagate in ensemble-averaged particulate materials

Propagation of elastic waves in correlated dispersions of resonant scatterers

The propagation of coherent longitudinal and transverse waves in random distributions of spherical scatterers embedded in an elastic matrix is studied. The investigated frequency range is the vicinity of the resonance frequencies of the translational and rotational motion of the spheres forced by the waves, where strong dispersion and attenuation are predicted. A technique for making samples made of layers of carbide tungsten beads embedded in epoxy resin is presented, which allows control of the scatterers distribution, induce short-range positional correlations, and minimize the anisotropy of samples. Comparison between phase velocity and attenuation measurements and a model based on multiple scattering theory (MST) shows that bulk effective properties accurately described by MST are obtained from three beads layers. Besides, short-range correlations amplify the effect of mechanical resonances on the propagation of longitudinal and transverse coherent waves. As a practical consequence, the use of short-range positional correlations may be used to enhance the attenuation of elastic waves by disordered, locally resonant, elastic metamaterials, and MST globally correctly predicts the effect of short-range positional order on their effective properties.

Asymptotic analysis of in-plane dynamic problems for elastic media with rigid clusters of small inclusions

We present formal asymptotic approximations of fields representing the in-plane dynamic response of elastic solids containing clusters of closely interacting small rigid inclusions. For finite densely perforated bodies, the asymptotic scheme is developed to approximate the eigenfrequencies and the associated eigenmodes of the elastic medium with clamped boundaries. The asymptotic algorithm is also adapted to address the scattering of in-plane waves in infinite elastic media containing dense clusters. The results are accompanied by numerical simulations that illustrate the accuracy of the asymptotic approach. This article is part of the theme issue 'Wave generation and transmission in multi-scale complex media and structured metamaterials (part 2)'.

Metamaterial shields for inner protection and outer tuning through a relaxed micromorphic approach

In this paper, a coherent boundary value problem to model metamaterials' behaviour based on the relaxed micromorphic model is established. This boundary value problem includes well-posed boundary conditions, thus disclosing the possibility of exploring the scattering patterns of finite-size metamaterial specimens. Thanks to the simplified model's structure (few frequency- and angle-independent parameters), we are able to unveil the scattering metamaterial's response for a wide range of frequencies and angles of propagation of the incident wave. These results are an important stepping stone towards the conception of more complex large-scale meta-structures that can control elastic waves and recover energy. This article is part of the theme issue 'Wave generation and transmission in multi-scale complex media and structured metamaterials (part 1)'.

Finite-element and semi-analytical study of elastic wave propagation in strongly scattering polycrystals

This work studies scattering-induced elastic wave attenuation and phase velocity variation in three-dimensional untextured cubic polycrystals with statistically equiaxed grains using the theoretical second-order approximation (SOA) and Born approximation models and the grain-scale finite-element (FE) model, pushing the boundary towards strongly scattering materials. The results for materials with Zener anisotropy indices A > 1 show a good agreement between the theoretical and FE models in the transition and stochastic regions. In the Rayleigh regime, the agreement is reasonable for common structural materials with 1 < A <  3.2 but it deteriorates as A increases. The wavefields and signals from FE modelling show the emergence of very strong scattering at low frequencies for strongly scattering materials that cannot be fully accounted for by the theoretical models. To account for such strong scattering at A > 1, a semi-analytical model is proposed by iterating the far-field Born approximation and optimizing the iterative coefficient. The proposed model agrees remarkably well with the FE model across all studied materials with greatly differing microstructures; the model validity also extends to the quasi-static velocity limit. For polycrystals with A < 1, it is found that the agreement between the SOA and FE results is excellent for all studied materials and the correction of the model is not needed.

The Wiener-Hopf technique, its generalizations and applications: constructive and approximate methods

This paper reviews the modern state of the Wiener-Hopf factorization method and its generalizations. The main constructive results for matrix Wiener-Hopf problems are presented, approximate methods are outlined and the main areas of applications are mentioned. The aim of the paper is to offer an overview of the development of this method, and demonstrate the importance of bringing together pure and applied analysis to effectively employ the Wiener-Hopf technique.

Transmission and reflection at the boundary of a random two-component composite

A half-space x 2  > 0 is occupied by a two-component statistically uniform random composite with specified volume fractions and two-point correlation. It is bonded to a uniform half-space x 2  < 0 from which a plane wave is incident. The transmitted and reflected mean waves are calculated via a variational formulation that makes optimal use of the given statistical information. The problem requires the specification of the properties of three media: those of the two constituents of the composite and those of the homogeneous half-space. The complexity of the problem is minimized by considering a model acoustic-wave problem in which the three media have the same modulus but different densities. It is formulated as a problem of Wiener–Hopf type which is solved explicitly in the particular case of an exponentially decaying correlation function. Possible generalizations are discussed in a brief concluding section.

Influence of the microstructure of two-dimensional random heterogeneous media on propagation of acoustic coherent waves

Multiple scattering of waves arises in all fields of physics in either periodic or random media. For random media the organization of the microstructure (uniform or nonuniform statistical distribution of scatterers) has effects on the propagation of coherent waves. Using a recent exact resolution method and different homogenization theories, the effects of the microstructure on the effective wave number are investigated over a large frequency range (ka between 0.1 and 13.4) and high concentrations. For uniform random media, increasing the configurational constraint makes the media more transparent for low frequencies and less for high frequencies. As a side but important result, we show that two of the homogenization models considered here appear to be very efficient at high frequency up to a concentration of 60% in the case of uniform media. For nonuniform media, for which clustered and periodic aggregates appear, the main effect is to reduce the magnitude of resonances and to make network effects appear. In this case, homogenization theories are not relevant to make a detailed analysis.