Propagation of waves in a suspension of solid particles

A theory is developed for the propagation of waves in a suspension of elastic or rigid solid particles in a viscous or inviscid compressible fluid, using a homogenization process. We study the case where the characteristic length of the particles is small compared with the wave length. In the case of a viscous fluid, a law similar to Darcy's law for the average velocity of the suspension is established, and in the case of macroscopic homogeneity and isotropy, the propagation of a plane wave displays one dilatational, damped and dispersive wave. In the case of a barotropic inviscid fluid, the average acceleration of the suspension depends, in a linear way, on the mean pressure gradient and in the case of macroscopic homogeneity and isotropy, the propagation of a plane wave displays one dilatational, undamped and non dispersive wave.