Sound absorption by a metasurface comprising hard spheres in a soft medium

Abstract

We present a theoretical framework for acoustic wave propagation in a metasurface comprising a hexagonal lattice of hard spherical inclusions embedded in a soft elastic medium. Each layer of inclusions in the direction of sound propagation is approximated as a homogenized layer with effective geometric and material properties. To account for multiple scattering effects in the lattice of resonant inclusions, an analogy between the fluid dynamics of creeping flows and elastodynamics of soft materials is implemented. Results obtained analytically are in excellent agreement with numerical simulations that exactly model the geometric and material properties of the metasurface.