Computation of the dynamic scalar response of large two-dimensional periodic and symmetric structures by the wave finite element method

In the past, the study of periodic media mainly focused on one-dimensional periodic structures (meaning periodic along one direction), on the one hand to determine the dispersion curves linking the frequencies to the wavenumbers and on the other hand to obtain the response of a structure to an external excitation, both for bounded or unbounded structures. In the latter case, effective approaches have been obtained, based on methods such as the Wave Finite Element (WFE). Two-dimensional periodic media are more complex to analyse but dispersion curves can be obtained rather easily as in the one-dimensional case. Obtaining the steady state response of two-dimensional periodic structures to time-harmonic excitations is much more difficult than for one-dimensional media and the results mainly concern infinite media. This work is about this last case of the steady state response of finite two-dimensional periodic structures to time-harmonic excitations by limiting oneself to structures described by a scalar variable (acoustic, thermal, membrane behaviour) and having symmetries compared to two orthogonal planes parallel to the edges of a substructure. Using the WFE for a rectangular substructure and imposing the wavenumber in one direction, we can numerically calculate the wavenumbers and mode shapes associated with propagation in the perpendicular direction. By building solutions with null forces on parallel boundaries, we can decouple the waves in the two directions parallel to the sides of the rectangle. The solution of each of these two problems is obtained by a fast Fourier transformation giving the amplitudes associated with the waves. By summing the contributions of all these waves we obtain the global solution for a two-dimensional periodic medium with a large number of substructures and a low computing time. Examples are given for the case of a two-dimensional membrane with many substructures and different types of heterogeneities.