title: Highly nonlinear wave propagation in elastic woodpile periodic structures.
abstract: In the present work, we experimentally implement, numerically compute with, and theoretically analyze a configuration in the form of a single column woodpile periodic structure. Our main finding is that a Hertzian, locally resonant, woodpile lattice offers a test bed for the formation of genuinely traveling waves composed of a strongly localized solitary wave on top of a small amplitude oscillatory tail. This type of wave, called a nanopteron, is not only motivated theoretically and numerically, but is also visualized experimentally by means of a laser Doppler vibrometer. This system can also be useful for manipulating stress waves at will, for example, to achieve strong attenuation and modulation of high-amplitude impacts without relying on damping in the system.
authors.affiliation: Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-2400, USA.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-2400, USA.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003-4515, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d' Acoustique de l' Université du Maine, UMR-CNRS, 6613 Avenue Olivier Messiaen, 72085 Le Mans, France.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Theocharis
authors.affiliation: Aeronautics and Astronautics, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195-2400, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts 01003-4515, USA.
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Kevrekidis