Control of low-frequency guided elastic wave modes in a hollow pipe using a meta-surface

A locally resonant meta-surface for preferential excitation of a guided mode in a hollow pipe can improve ultrasonic guided wave inspection of pipelines. The proposed meta-surface comprises a periodic arrangement of bonded prismatic rod-like resonators in the circumferential and axial directions of the pipe. We demonstrate the presence of bandgaps for the low-frequency axisymmetric longitudinal modes L(0,1) and L(0,2) and the torsional mode T(0,1). The generated bandgaps can be used to filter the higher harmonics associated with the system nonlinearity to improve nonlinear ultrasonic measurements on pipes. These bandgaps exist even for the non-axisymmetric flexural modes but with their hybridized dispersion curves exhibiting mode-coupling for higher circumferential orders. Moreover, a “partial” bandgap is obtained where preferential transmission of the L(0,2) mode over L(0,1) is possible. We discuss the potential advantages of this partial bandgap to improve pipeline inspections using the L(0,2) mode. Time-domain finite element analyses are used to validate the presence of these bandgaps under radial, circumferential, and axial excitation that mimics the excitation using a ring of piezoelectric transducers. Finally, we discuss the influence of resonator spacing, filling fraction, and the number of resonator rings on the bandgaps for an informed meta-surface design.