Vol 63, No 4 (2017)

Dispersion relations are investigated for a transversely inhomogeneous piezoelectric layer with attenuation. Using the complex modulus concept, the problem is reduced to a first-order matrix differential equation with complex coefficients. Characteristic structural features of dispersion relations are studied both analytically and numerically. An asymptotic analysis is performed for the low-frequency region.

Absorption characteristics of a Helmholtz resonator positioned at the end wall of a circular duct are considered. The absorption coefficient of the resonator is experimentally investigated as a function of the diameter and length of the resonator neck and the depth of the resonator cavity. Based on experimental data, the linear analytic model of a Helmholtz resonator is verified, and the results of verification are used to determine the dissipative attached length of the resonator neck so as to provide the agreement between experimental and calculated data. Dependences of sound absorption by a Helmholtz resonator on its geometric parameters are obtained.

The potentials of high frequency Lamb wave modes are investigated in the inspection of plate-like structures. The wave propagation characteristics of higher order wave modes and the corresponding sensitivity and detectability are studied. Finite element simulations are carried out using infinite elements to model the ultrasonic wedge transducer and the inspection system. Experimental pulse–echo measurements are conducted to verify the influence of different modes characteristics predicted from the finite element simulations. The experimental measurements show a good agreement with the obtained numerical results for the fundamental modes, S₀ and A₀, and the higher order modes, S₁ and A₁, at 4 MHz mm of frequency–thickness.

A broadband acoustic matching of a piezoelectric transducer made of a lithium niobate crystal with an acousto-optic TeO₂ crystal has been studied. The transducer is acoustically attached to the crystal by the method of adhesive contact. The experimental method of creating a piezoelectric transducer with an acoustic matching layer from a tin film is developed. The conditions of the optimal technological regime when applying the matching layer are determined. The results of the research are used in creating a broadband high-performance deflector with a central ultrasound frequency of 37 MHz, with the frequency band scanning more than 30 MHz, and a diffraction efficiency of about 90% at a wavelength of 1.06 μm.

The paper considers the problem of using a vertical array to focus a monochromatic field in the vicinity of a given point of an underwater sound channel. The solution to the problem is discussed, which has been obtained with a limitation on the initial grazing angles of the emitted waves. The limitation is introduced to increase the stability of the solution to the influence of random perturbations of the sound velocity field. Then, the radiated field represents a wave beam propagating along a reference ray that connects the center of the array and the focusing point. In the geometric optics approximation, analytic estimates of the smallest possible dimensions of the focal spot are obtained. A simplified version of the formula is obtained for the vertical scale of the spot convenient for rough express estimates and comparison of the focusing properties of waveguides with different sound velocity profiles.

The paper describes an approach to detecting a sound source and estimating the radial velocity and distance from the receiver, based on repeat Fourier transformation of the interference pattern formed during motion. The obtained spectrogram contains localized domains of the spectral density of single modes. We estimate the localization domain and spectral density distribution and discuss the resolution of moving sound sources. We present the results of a field experiment and consider the interference immunity of the approach for localizing a source using a single receiver.

A study of the phenomenon of diffraction of acoustic waves in application to the task of noise shielding by the method of maximum length sequences has been carried out. Rectangular plates and an aircraft model of integrated layout are used as the screens. In the study of noise shielding by aircraft model, the theorem of reciprocity is used. A comparison of experimental results with calculations performed in the framework of the geometrical theory of diffraction (GTD) is performed. On the basis of calculations, the identification of the contributions from different areas of the shielding surface in the full acoustic field is carried out. For the aircraft model, the shielding factor is calculated depending on the frequency.

To find the possible reasons for the midlevel elevation of the Weber fraction in intensity discrimination of a tone burst, a comparison was performed for the complementary distributions of spike activity of an ensemble of space nerves, such as the distribution of time instants when spikes occur, the distribution of interspike intervals, and the autocorrelation function. The distribution properties were detected in a poststimulus histogram, an interspike interval histogram, and an autocorrelation histogram—all obtained from the reaction of an ensemble of model space nerves in response to an auditory noise burst–useful tone burst complex. Two configurations were used: in the first, the peak amplitude of the tone burst was varied and the noise amplitude was fixed; in the other, the tone burst amplitude was fixed and the noise amplitude was varied. Noise could precede or follow the tone burst. The noise and tone burst durations, as well as the interval between them, was 4 kHz and corresponded to the characteristic frequencies of the model space nerves. The profiles of all the mentioned histograms had two maxima. The values and the positions of the maxima in the poststimulus histogram corresponded to the amplitudes and mutual time position of the noise and the tone burst. The maximum that occurred in response to the tone burst action could be a basis for the formation of the loudness of the latter (explicit loudness). However, the positions of the maxima in the other two histograms did not depend on the positions of tone bursts and noise in the combinations. The first maximum fell in short intervals and united intervals corresponding to the noise and tone burst durations. The second maximum fell in intervals corresponding to a tone burst delay with respect to noise, and its value was proportional to the noise amplitude or tone burst amplitude that was smaller in the complex. An increase in tone burst or noise amplitudes was caused by nonlinear variations in the two maxima and the ratio between them. The size of the first maximum in the of interspike interval distribution could be the basis for the formation of the loudness of the masked tone burst (implicit loudness), and the size of the second maximum, for the formation of intensity in the periodicity pitch of the complex. The auditory effect of the midlevel enhancement of tone burst loudness could be the result of variations in the implicit tone burst loudness caused by variations in tone-burst or noise intensity. The reason for the enhancement of the Weber fraction could be competitive interaction between such subjective qualities as explicit and implicit tone-burst loudness and the intensity of the periodicity pitch of the complex.

In order to investigate the ultrasonic propagation in carbon fibre reinforced plastics with complex void morphology, the effective mathematical model needs to be established. The current models are oversimplified on void morphology, leading to the significant inconsistency of theoretical calculation with experimental results. In view of the problem, a real morphology void model (RMVM) was established with the idea of image-based modeling. The void morphology was extracted by digital image processing technology, and the material properties were assigned subsequently. As a result of the complex and random void morphology in RMVMs, a non-unique corresponding relationship was verified between porosity P and ultrasonic attenuation coefficient α. In the scatterplot of simulation, about 66 percent of points were plotted within the ±10% error band of fitting line, while almost all the data located at the ±20% error zone. The simulation results showed good consistency with experiments, and it proved the validity of RMVM. The investigation provides a novel model to explore the ultrasonic scattering mechanism for the composite materials containing random voids.