STRAIN SOLITARY WAVES IN AN ELASTIC ROD EMBEDDED IN ANOTHER ELASTIC EXTERNAL MEDIUM WITH SLIDING

The propagation of nonlinear elastic longitudinal strain solitary wave s (i.e., strain solitons) in a cylindrical rod being in sliding contac t with an external elastic medium is considered. The waves have phase velocity in an interval, determined by the elastic properties of the e xternal medium. Furthermore, it is shown that relative to the free rod case the external medium may alter the type of strain soliton. The th eory developed can formally be used to estimate the surface-tension-li ke effects resulting from imperfections of the rod's lateral surface. Finally, from the results obtained an approach is suggested for the po ssible experimental determination of the Murnaghan third-order isotrop ic elastic moduli.