Numerical Modeling of One-Dimensional Wave Propagation in Non-Homogeneous Materials

Arnaldo J. Mazzei, Richard A. Scott

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

A large body of work has been done in solids, acoustics and electromagnetics on wave propagation in non-homogeneous media. The current work, which is largely exploratory in nature, involves waves in a non-homogeneous elastic rod. Some formulations and methodologies in which analytic solutions are sought are reviewed. Several analytic solutions are found and discussed. For rods with complicated parameter variations, analytic solutions do not exist and the use of MAPLE®’s numerical partial differential equation solver is explored. Discontinuous material changes were modeled using hyperbolic tangent functions. The results are mixed in nature. For scenarios in which the materials and input pulses varied rapidly, good amplitude results were found, but wavelike features were masked by spurious oscillations. For scenarios in which the variations were slow, reliable results were obtained.

Original languageAmerican English
Title of host publicationTopics in Modal Analysis II
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2012

Disciplines

  • Mechanical Engineering

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