Narrow Results

In this review paper, the use of the Time Reversal (TR) method as a computational tool for solving some classes of inverse problems is surveyed. The basics of computational TR are explained, using the scalar wave equation as a simple model. The application of TR to various problems in acoustics and elastodynamics is reviewed, in a selective and biased way as it leans on the author's personal view, referring to representative articles published on the subject.

The reflection and transmission of a time-harmonic plane wave in an isotropic elastic medium by a three-dimensional diffraction grating is investigated. If the diffractive structure involves an impenetrable surface, we study the first, second, third and fourth kind boundary value problems for the Navier equation in an unbounded domain by the variational approach. A radiation condition based on the Rayleigh expansion of the quasi-periodic solutions is presented. Existence of solutions in Sobolev spaces is established if the grating profile is a two-dimensional Lipschitz surface, while uniqueness is proved only for small frequencies or for all frequencies excluding a discrete set. Similar solvability results are obtained for multilayered transmission gratings in the case of an incident pressure wave. Moreover, by a periodic Rellich identity, uniqueness of the solution to the first kind (Dirichlet) boundary value problem is established for all frequencies under the assumption that the impenetrable surface is given by the graph of a Lipschitz function.

A new high-order local Absorbing Boundary Condition (ABC) has been recently proposed for use on an artificial boundary for time-dependent elastic waves in unbounded domains, in two dimensions. It is based on the stress–velocity formulation of the elastodynamics problem, and on the general Complete Radiation Boundary Condition (CRBC) approach, originally devised by Hagstrom and Warburton in 2009. The work presented here is a sequel to previous work that concentrated on the stability of the scheme; this is the first known high-order ABC for elastodynamics which is long-time stable. Stability was established both theoretically and numerically. The present paper focuses on the accuracy of the scheme. In particular, two accuracy-related issues are investigated. First, the reflection coefficients associated with the new CRBC for different types of incident and reflected elastic waves are analyzed. Second, various choices of computational parameters for the CRBC, and their effect on the accuracy, are discussed. These choices include the optimal coefficients proposed by Hagstrom and Warburton for the acoustic case, and a simplified formula for these coefficients. A finite difference discretization is employed in space and time. Numerical examples are used to experiment with the scheme and demonstrate the above-mentioned accuracy issues.

Coupling resonance mechanism of interfacial fatigue stratification of adhesive and/or welding butt joint symmetric and/or antisymmetric structures excited by horizontal shear waves are investigated by forced propagation analytical solutions derived by plane wave perturbation methods, integral transformation methods and global matrix methods. The influence of materials on the coupled resonance frequency is analyzed and discussed by the analytical methods. Coupling resonance of interface shear stress is a structure inherent property. Even a very small excitation amplitude at the coupling resonance frequency can result in interface shear delamination. The coupling resonance frequency decreases with the increase of interlayer thickness or shear wave velocity difference between substrate and interlayer. The results could be applied to layered and/or anti-layered structural design.

An overview of recent work on the interaction of elastic waves with dislocations is given. The perspective is provided by the wish to develop nonintrusive tools to probe plastic behavior in materials. For simplicity, ideas and methods are first worked out in two dimensions, and the results in three dimensions are then described. These results explain a number of recent, hitherto unexplained, experimental findings. The latter include the frequency dependence of ultrasound attenuation in copper, the visualization of the scattering of surface elastic waves by isolated dislocations in LiNbO₃, and the ratio of longitudinal to transverse wave attenuation in a number of materials.

Specific results reviewed include the scattering amplitude for the scattering of an elastic wave by a screw, as well as an edge, dislocation in two dimensions, the scattering amplitudes for an elastic wave by a pinned dislocation segment in an infinite elastic medium, and the wave scattering by a sub-surface dislocation in a semi-infinite medium. Also, using a multiple scattering formalism, expressions are given for the attenuation coefficient and the effective speed for coherent wave propagation in the cases of anti-plane waves propagating in a medium filled with many, randomly placed screw dislocations; in-plane waves in a medium similarly filled with randomly placed edge dislocations with randomly oriented Burgers vectors; elastic waves in a three-dimensional medium filled with randomly placed and oriented dislocation line segments, also with randomly oriented Burgers vectors; and elastic waves in a model three-dimensional polycrystal, with only low angle grain boundaries modeled as arrays of dislocation line segments.

Propagation of elastic waves is studied in a 1D medium containing two cracks. The latter are modeled by smooth nonlinear jump conditions accounting for the finite, non-null compressibility of real cracks. The evolution equations are written in the form of a system of two nonlinear neutral delay differential equations, leading to a well-posed Cauchy problem. Perturbation analysis indicates that, under periodic excitation, the periodic solutions oscillate around positive mean values, which increase with the forcing level. This typically nonlinear phenomenon offers non-destructive means to evaluate the cracks. Existence, uniqueness and attractivity of periodic solutions is then examined. At some particular values of the ratio between the wave travel time and the period of the source, results are obtained whatever the forcing level. With a much larger set of ratios but at small forcing levels, results are obtained under a Diophantine condition. Lastly, numerical experiments are proposed to illustrate the behavior of the periodic diffracted waves.

The dynamic response of the seabed to ocean surface waves is treated analytically on the basis of an elastic wave theory in a soil-water mixture. The seabed is modeled as the aggregate of a poro-elastic soil-skeleton with air-containing pore-water, from which a general solution is presented for a homogeneous bed of infinite thickness. Two kinds of compressive waves and one shear wave are shown to exist in the seabed and their phases and attenuation characteristics are clarified. Based on the propagation of these elastic waves, exact solutions for the dynamic response in pore-water pressure and displacements of porous soil-skeleton are derived in physically lucid form. It is found that the relative motion between the soil and water is produced by the second compressive wave, but not from other elastic waves. The present solution is shown to include the well-known quasi-static solution given by Yamamoto et al. (1978), as a limiting case. By comparing the present dynamic solution with that of quasi-static state, two important nondimensional parameters are presented to discuss the applicability of each solution.