Local and noncontact measurements of bulk acoustic wave velocities in thin isotropic plates and shells using zero group velocity Lamb modes

An original method for material characterization with acoustic waves is presented. The measurement of the longitudinal and shear wave velocities in thin isotropic plates or shells is performed locally on the same face without any mechanical contact. We exploit the resonance that occurs at the minimum frequency thickness product of the first order symmetric (S-1) and of the second order antisymmetric (A(2)) Lamb modes. At these frequencies the group velocity vanishes, whereas the phase velocity remains finite. Then, the energy, which cannot propagate in the structure, is localized in a zone of diameter half the wavelength. The vibrations are excited in the thermoelastic regime by a laser pulse and detected at the same point by an optical interferometer. For these two Lamb modes we have computed the variations of the frequency thickness product versus Poisson's ratio. The resonance frequency ratio, which is independent of the plate or shell thickness, provides an absolute and local measurement of Poisson's ratio. Provided that the plate thickness is known, each resonance frequency allows us to determine in a single shot the bulk acoustic wave velocities V-L and V-T. Since it is based on frequency measurements, the method, tested on a large number of materials, is very accurate. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.