Attenuation of short stress pulses in strongly nonlinear dissipative metamaterial.

Attenuation of short stress pulses under different levels of precompression was investigated in a one-dimensional strongly nonlinear discrete metamaterial assembled using alternating steel disks and toroidal Nitrile O-rings. The results were compared with the numerical modeling. A double power-law is used to describe the nonlinear interaction between the disks due to the compression of rubber O-rings. The dispersion behavior caused by the periodic arrangement of elements is contributing to the attenuation of pulse, but could not explain the experimental observations. It was explained by taking into account the nonlinear viscous behavior of O-rings. The numerical simulations were able to predict the dependence of the signal speed on the precompression force, a significant decrease of the pulse width with the precompression and the attenuation of the leading positive pulse, the latter of major significance in the protection against impact. This strongly nonlinear dissipative metamaterial has a potential for attenuation of dynamic loading and allows an enhanced tunability of signal speed and degree of attenuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]