Surface acoustic wave attenuation in polycrystals: Numerical modeling using a statistical digital twin of an actual sample

Grain boundary scattering-induced attenuation and phase-velocity dispersion of Rayleigh-type surface acoustic waves are studied with a time-domain finite-element method (FEM). The FEM simulation incorporates a realistic material model based on matching the spatial two-point correlation function of a Laguerre tessellation with that obtained from optical micrographs of a previously studied aluminum sample. Plane surface acoustic waves are excited in a multitude of statistically equivalent virtual polycrystals, and their surface displacement fields are averaged for subsequent extraction of the coherent-wave attenuation coefficient and phase velocity. Comparisons to previous laser-ultrasonic experiments, an analytical mean-field model, and the FEM results show good agreement in a broad frequency range from about 10 to 130MHz. Observed discrepancies between models and measurement reveal the importance of spatial averaging in the context of mean-field approaches and suggest improvement strategies for future experimental studies and advanced analytical models. A different attenuation power law for Rayleigh waves is found in the stochastic scattering regime compared to bulk acoustic waves. [Display omitted] •Statistical digital twin of a polycrystal was generated using Laguerre tessellation.•FEM simulations of coherent SAW scattering in virtual polycrystals were performed.•Numerical and experimental SAW attenuation in equivalent structures in good agreement.•Different frequency dependence of surface- and bulk-wave attenuation is suggested.