Propagation of shear elastic waves in composites with a random set of spherical inclusions (effective field approach)

The work is dedicated to the problem of plane monochromatic shear wave propagation through elastic matrix composite materials with a homogeneous random set of spherical inclusions. The effective field method (EFM) and quasi-crystalline approximation are used for the calculation of phase velocity and attenuation factor of the mean wave field propagating through the composite. The version of the method developed in the work allows us to obtain the dispersion equation for the wave vector of the mean wave field that serves for all frequencies of the incident field, properties and volume concentrations of the inclusions. The long- and short-wave asymptotic solutions of the dispersion equation are found in closed analytical forms. Numerical solutions of this equation are constructed in a wide region of frequencies that covers the long-, middle- and short-wave regions of the propagating waves. The phase velocities and attenuation factors of the mean wave field in the composites are analyzed for various elastic properties, density and volume concentrations of the inclusions. Comparisons of the predictions of the method with some numerical computation of the effective parameters of matrix composites are presented; possible errors in predictions of the velocities and attenuation factors of the mean wave field in the composites are indicated and discussed.