ELASTIC-WAVES IN A COMPOSITE CONTAINING INHOMOGENEOUS FIBERS

We consider the problem of elastic wave propagation in a composite wit h multiple-coated fibers. The fibers are assumed to be composed of N c oncentric layers of homogeneous isotropic or transversely isotropic ma terials and randomly distributed in the matrix medium. We use homogeni zation technique which combines the Generalized Self Consistent model (GSCM) and a statistical averaging procedure to calculate the frequenc y dependent phase velocity and attenuation of the average waves. In th e case of a fiber containing a single interface layer, the influence o f the thickness, density, and shear modulus of the interface on the ph ase velocity and attenuation of the average waves is investigated thro ugh a parameter study. The results show that changes in the thickness and density of the interface have no significant effect on the phase v elocity of the average waves but the shear modulus has a stronger infl uence. The feasibility of nondestructively characterizing the interfac e properties through the inversion of low frequency phase velocity dat a is discussed.