Nonlinear & stressed materials

Linear models capture many important wave phenomena, but waves also respond to nonlinear elastic behavior and to a material’s initial stress or strain. These effects create opportunities to investigate mechanical state through acoustic measurements.

Our work spans weakly nonlinear elastic waves, harmonic generation, acoustoelasticity, and resonant ultrasound. We examine how constitutive behavior and material symmetry enter the equations of wave motion and their measurable consequences.

Material state through wave physics

Changes in wave speed and resonance can reflect both microstructure and stress. Distinguishing these contributions requires a formulation that connects deformation, elasticity, and wave propagation consistently.

Related studies include stress formulations of acoustoelasticity, the resonances of polycrystalline metals containing residual stress and texture, and wave interactions in incompressible soft materials.