An application of the Peano series expansion to predict sound propagation in materials with continuous pore stratification

This work reports on an application of the state vector (Stroh) formalism and Peano series expansion to solve the problem of sound propagation in a material with continuous pore stratification. An alternative Biot formulation is used to link the equivalent velocity in the oscillatory flow in the material pores with the acoustic pressure gradient. In this formulation, the complex dynamic density and bulk modulus are predicted using the equivalent fluid flow model developed by Horoshenkov and Swift [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 110(5), 2371-2378 (2001)] under the rigid frame approximation. This model is validated against experimental data obtained for a 140 mm thick material specimen with continuous pore size stratification and relatively constant porosity. This material has been produced from polyurethane binder solution placed in a container with a vented top and sealed bottom to achieve a gradient in the reaction time which caused a pore size stratification to develop as a function of depth [Mahasaranon et al., J. Appl. Phys. 111, 084901 (2012)]. It is shown that the acoustical properties of this class of materials can be accurately predicted with the adopted theoretical model.