Reproducible time-of-flight measurements with a piezoelectric transducer for acoustoelastic stress evaluation

The acoustic coupling of a piezoelectric transducer to the specimen by means of a viscous couplant proves to be a weak link in performing acoustoelastic experiments. Measurements reveal that an increased coupling layer thickness potentially leads to a more reproducible time-of-flight determination. To assess the consequences of this approach, a model is developed for the pulse-echo configuration. Diffraction in the specimen is taken into account and a viscoelastic model is used to describe wave propagation in shear wave couplant. The results clearly show the advantages of an increased coupling layer thickness. Paper was presented at the 1994 SEM Spring Conference on Experimental Mechanics held in Baltimore, MD on June 8–10.     

On the dynamics and instability of bubbles formed during underwater explosions

Dynamics of explosion bubbles formed during underwater detonations are studied experimentally by exploding fuel (hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide)–oxygen mixture in a laboratory water tank. Sub-scale explosions are instrumented to provide detailed histories of bubble shape and pressure. Using geometric and dynamic scaling analyses it has been shown that these sub-scale bubbles are reasonable approximations of bubbles formed during deep sea underwater explosions. The explosion bubble undergoes pulsation and loses energy in each oscillation cycle. The observed energy loss, which cannot be fully explained by acoustic losses, is shown here to be partly due to the excitation of instability at the interface between the gaseous bubble and the surrounding water. Various possible mechanisms for the dissipation of bubble energy are addressed. The analysis of the experimental data gives quantitative evidence (confirmed by recent numerical studies) that the Rayleigh–Taylor instability is excited near the bubble minimum. The dynamics of the bubble oscillation observed in these experiments are in good agreement with experimental data obtained from deep sea explosions     

Cavitation phenomena in extracorporeal microexplosion lithotripsy

An experimental investigation was made of cavitation phenomena induced by underwater shock wave focusing applied to the extracorporeal microexplosion lithotripsy (microexplosion ESWL). Firstly an underwater microexplosion generated by detonation of a 10 mg silver azide pellet was studied and secondly underwater shock focusing and its induced cavitation phenomena were investgated. Underwater shock wave was focused by using a semi-ellipsoidal reflector in which a shock wave generated at the first focal point of the reflector was reflected and focused at the second focal point. It is found that an explosion product gas bubble did not produce any distinct rebound shocks. Meantime cavitation appeared after shock focusing at the second focal point where expansion waves originated at the exit of the reflector were simultaneously collected. A shock/bubble interaction is found to contribute not only to urinary tract stone disintegration but also tissue damage. The cavitation effect associated with the microexplosion ESWL was weaker in comparison with a spark discharge ESWL. The microexplosion ESWL is an effective method which can minimize the number of shock exposures hence decreasing tissue damage by conducting precise positioning of urinary tract stones.This article was processed using Springer-Verlag T_EX Shock Waves macro package 1.0 and the AMS fonts, developed by the American Mathematical Society.     

应用电磁超声技术实验分析自由表平面凹坑上P—SV波的转换

本文对正入射条件下自由表平面半球形凹坑上Ｐ－ＳＶ波的转换进行了实验分析，实验中使用了电磁超声技术，确保在各个方向上等声程接收散射ＳＶ波和良好的测量重复性．实验结果表明，随着凹坑直径（Ｄ）与入射波波长（λ）之比的改变，转型ＳＶ波的指向特征有显著改变；当Ｄ／λ＝１时，ＳＶ波则集中于近表平面，并与散射Ｐ波耦合为强烈的瑞利波．本文为自由表平面半球形凹坑上弹性波的散射方向提供了一些实验解，并为应用波型转换方法检测金属孔蚀提供了实验基础．     

Numerical analysis for transverse microbead trapping using 30 MHz focused ultrasound in ray acoustics regime

We have recently devised a remote acoustic manipulation method with high frequency focused ultrasonic beam of 30–200 MHz, and experimentally realized it by the intensity gradient near the beam’s focus. A two-dimensional (or transverse) acoustic trapping was demonstrated by directly applying the acoustic radiation force on lipid spheres and leukemia cells that were individually moved towards the focus. Only longitudinal waves were then considered because both target and propagation media involved were fluid e.g., water or phosphate buffer saline.     

Improving the air coupling of bulk piezoelectric transducers with wedges of power-law profiles: A numerical study

An air-coupled ultrasonic transducer is created by bonding a bulk piezoelectric element onto the surface of a thick plate with a wedge of power-law profile. The wedge is used to improve the ultrasonic radiation efficiency. The power-law profile provides a smooth, impedance-matching transition for the mechanical energy to be transferred from the thick plate to the air, through the large-amplitude flexural waves observed in the thinnest region of the wedge. The performance of the proposed transducer is examined numerically and compared to that of a design where the piezoelectric element is isolated and where it is affixed to a thin plate of uniform thickness. The numerical analysis is first focused on the free-field radiation of the transducers. Then, time-reversal experiments are simulated by placing the transducers inside a cavity of arbitrary shape with some perfectly reflecting boundaries. In addition to time-reversal mirrors, the proposed concept could be integrated in the design of phased arrays and parametric arrays.     

Nonlinear frequency mixing in a resonant cavity: Numerical simulations in a bubbly liquid

The study of nonlinear frequency mixing for acoustic standing waves in a resonator cavity is presented. Two high frequencies are mixed in a highly nonlinear bubbly liquid filled cavity that is resonant at the difference frequency. The analysis is carried out through numerical experiments, and both linear and nonlinear regimes are compared. The results show highly efficient generation of the difference frequency at high excitation amplitude. The large acoustic nonlinearity of the bubbly liquid that is responsible for the strong difference-frequency resonance also induces significant enhancement of the parametric frequency mixing effect to generate second harmonic of the difference frequency.     

Information for Contributors

<正>1 Chinese Journal of Acoustics is the publication of the Acoustical Society of China and The Institute of Acoustics,Chinese Academy of Sciences,to promote the international understanding and collaboration in the field of acoustics.It publishes original works in all branches of acoustics in China.Contributions from invited guests and friends overseas are also solicited.     

基于迟滞应力应变关系的非线性声学检测理论与方法研究

本文将传统PM(Preisach-Mayergoyz)模型由一维介质拓展到二维介质,引入迟滞细观弹性单元概念,得到迟滞变化的应力应变关系.并采用一阶有限差分方程进行了声场计算和分析,发现空间声场中含有明显的高阶奇次谐波成分.对接收到的全波信号进行滤波、放大、时间反转后加载到接收换能器对应阵元上再进行发射,观察到高次谐波在微损伤区域实现聚焦.这为利用非线性高次谐波检测微损伤提供了可能的途径,也为疲劳损伤等缺陷的早期检测提供了理论和方法依据.     

基于Fournier Forand体积散射函数的水中激光脉冲后向散射特性分析模型

基于Fournier Forand体积散射函数,建立了一种水中激光脉冲后向散射仿真模型.运用该模型可用Monte Carlo方法模拟光子在水中的传播过程,并得到光波后向散射的冲击响应.将初始激光脉冲与冲击响应进行卷积并求其傅里叶谱,即可得到激光脉冲后向散射信号的时域和频域特征.利用该模型分析了入射为高斯型激光脉冲时,水中散射体的尺度分布、散射体与纯水的相对折射率以及水体衰减系数对激光脉冲后向散射特性的影响.结果表明：随着小尺度散射体相对数量的增多、散射体与纯水相对折射率的增加、水体衰减系数的增大,激光脉冲后向散射信号能量增强,宽度增加,低频分量显著增大.