Boundary element analysis of guided waves in a bar with an arbitrary cross-section

A boundary element method (BEM) is presented for analyzing the dispersion relation of guided waves in a bar with an arbitrary cross-section. A boundary integral equation for a harmonic motion in time and space is derived with respect to the boundary of the cross-section of the bar. By means of a collocation method, a homogeneous matrix equation which depends on the frequency and the wave number of the guided wave is obtained. The dispersion relation of guided waves is then obtained by finding nontrivial solutions of the matrix equation. The Newton's method is used to find the solution of the dispersion relation mode by mode for both propagating waves and nonpropagating waves. Numerical results are shown for a square bar, rectangular bars, and an L-shaped bar. Dispersive properties of guided waves in the bars are discussed in comparison with the results for Lamb modes in a 2D plate.