Elastic stress wave propagation in cellular systems

Abstract

In this study, elastic wave propagation through cellular systems (ring arrays) is investigated experimentally and analytically. Quasi-static and dynamic experiments on single rings and ring arrays are employed to identify and examine factors that affect elastic wave propagation; these include ring material, ring dimensions and packing arrangement. The relationships between these parameters and wave speeds measured in tests are analyzed. A comparison of the proposed theory describing the frequency-dependent group velocity of flexural waves with experimental results shows that the velocities detected from experiments exhibit good general correlation with the theoretical model. The influences of material property, ring wall thickness and wave frequency on wave propagation align with the theoretical analysis. The proposed model provides useful insights into elastic wave propagation in cellular systems and has the potential to facilitate estimation of elastic wave propagation velocities in cellular structures with a low relative density.