Guided wave simulation and visualization by a semianalytical finite element method

Simulation and visualization of guided wave propagation can be very useful in both educational and research studies. However, even with the tremendous computational power available today, calculation time and memory have become major issues due to large calculations corresponding to the guided wave testing area. To overcome these problems, we employ a semianalytical finite element method for simulation of guided waves in a plate and a pipe. Two major characteristics of a guided wave, dispersion and multimode existence, are demonstrated in visualization results. Moreover, guided wave propagation in a pipe is discussed for three cases: axisymmetric guided modes in a straight pipe; focusing effect due to tuning time delays and amplitudes; and axisymmetric input for a pipe with an elbow.