Stress wave propagation and tunability in 1D granular systems

Doctoral Candidate Name: 
Wen Zhang
Program: 
Mechanical Engineering
Abstract: 

Stress wave propagation in granular materials subjected to dynamic loadings has attracted much attention for exploring new physical phenomena. One-dimensional (1D) granular systems, a type of artificially designed granular materials consisting of periodically aligned discrete particles, are demonstrated to produce unprecedented wave properties that are notably different from conventional engineering materials. By designing the critical characteristics of 1D granular systems, a remarkable tunability can be achieved, which yields various engineering applications. Therefore, it is of great significance to fundamentally investigate the stress wave propagation and tunability in 1D granular systems.
Firstly, the solitary wave propagation within 1D granular crystals based on composite cylinders is systematically investigated via experiments, numerical simulations, and theoretical analysis. Next, we investigate the properties of Nesterenko solitary wave supported by one-dimensional granular chains and achieve an equivalent wave transmission among various materials and dimensions. Furthermore, we develop efficient and controllable stress wave attenuation approaches by considering I. Strain-softening behaviors; II. Kirigami-based structures. Finally, we design a 1D cylindrical granular system and comprehensively investigate solitary wave tuning strategies based on the system through mass, modulus, and thickness mismatch. Results unlock the unique solitary wave tuning mechanism and provide design guidance for next-generation signal measurement and monitoring systems.

Defense Date and Time: 
Wednesday, November 3, 2021 - 9:00am
Defense Location: 
Zoom: https://uncc.zoom.us/j/7690604878?pwd=M0FnakcyNmVCVkJsYXhwQ1RCSFpDQT09
Committee Chair's Name: 
Dr. Jun Xu
Committee Members: 
Dr. Jun Xu, Dr. Terry Xu, Dr. Nigel Zheng, Dr. Mesbah Uddin, Dr. Shen-En Chen