Analytical formulation of three-dimensional dynamic homogenization for periodic elastic systems

Abstract

Homogenization of the equations of motion for a three-dimensional periodic elastic system is considered. Expressions are obtained for the fully dynamic effective material parameters governing the spatially averaged fields by using the plane wave expansion method. The effective equations are of Willis form with coupling between momentum and stress and tensorial inertia. The formulation demonstrates that the Willis equations of elastodynamics are closed under homogenization. The effective material parameters are obtained for arbitrary frequency and wavenumber combinations, including but not restricted to Bloch wave branches for wave propagation in the periodic medium. Numerical examples for a one-dimensional system illustrate the frequency dependence of the parameters on Bloch wave branches and provide a comparison with an alternative dynamic effective medium theory, which also reduces to Willis form but with different effective moduli. © 2012 The Royal Society.