Influence of Controlled Viscous Dissipation on the Propagation of Strongly Nonlinear Waves in Stainless Steel Based Phononic Crystals

TL;DR

This study investigates how controlled viscous dissipation affects the behavior of strongly nonlinear waves in stainless steel phononic crystals, revealing that viscosity significantly influences wave splitting and propagation.

Contribution

It introduces a dissipative model based on relative particle velocity that accurately describes wave phenomena in viscous media, advancing understanding of nonlinear wave dynamics in phononic crystals.

Findings

Viscous media alter solitary wave splitting and propagation.

A dissipative model based on relative velocity matches experimental results.

Viscous effects are significant in nonlinear wave behavior in phononic crystals.

Abstract

Strongly nonlinear phononic crystals were assembled from stainless steel spheres. Single solitary waves and splitting of an initial pulse into a train of solitary waves were investigated in different viscous media using motor oil and non-aqueous glycerol to introduce a controlled viscous dissipation. Experimental results indicate that the presence of a viscous fluid dramatically altered the splitting of the initial pulse into a train of solitary waves. Numerical simulations qualitatively describe the observed phenomena only when a dissipative term based on the relative velocity between particles is introduced.