Multicell Homogenization of One-Dimensional Periodic Structures

Much attention has been recently devoted to the application of homogenization methods for the prediction of the dynamic behavior of periodic domains. One of the most popular techniques employs the Fourier transform in space in conjunction with Taylor series expansions to approximate the behavior of structures in the low frequency/long wavelength regime. The technique is quite effective, but suffers from two major drawbacks. First, the order of the Taylor expansion, and the corresponding frequency range of approximation, is limited by the resulting order of the continuum equations and by the number of boundary conditions, which may be imposed in accordance with the physical constraints on the system. Second, the approximation at low frequencies does not allow capturing bandgap characteristics of the periodic domain. An attempt at overcoming the latter can be made by applying the Fourier series expansion to a macrocell spanning two (or more) irreducible unit cells of the periodic medium. This multicell approach allows the simultaneous approximation of low frequency and high frequency dynamic behavior and provides the capability of analyzing the structural response in the vicinity of the lowest bandgap. The method is illustrated through examples on simple one-dimensional structures to demonstrate its effectiveness and its potentials for application to complex one-dimensional and two-dimensional configurations.