Adsorption Preceding Wetting Front Controls Seismic Velocity Wu, R., H. Kang, F. Gao, X. Peng, S. Dong, C. Zhao, B. Q. Li, K. Leith, Q. Lei, G. Y. Gor, P. A. Selvadurai, and X. Jia Geophysical Research Letters 53, no. 8 (2026)
Résumé: Rock elasticity varies with both humidity and water saturation, yet their combined effects remain poorly understood, although in nature vapor adsorption and liquid infiltration occur simultaneously. Here, we present experimental data of P-wave velocity and volume expansion in a free-standing sandstone subject to progressive wetting. Elastic softening, evidenced by P-wave velocity reduction, precedes the wetting front, followed by stiffening as liquid infiltration reverses this trend. To reconcile these softening/stiffening behaviors, vapor migration ahead of the wetting front is captured by numerical simulation of moisture transport constrained by experimental data. Initial softening is explained by a micromechanical model governed by surface energy reduction at grain contacts and validated by independent vapor adsorption tests. Subsequent stiffening is attributed to water infiltration, consistent with patchy saturation theory. We propose softening and stiffening are transitional processes governed by the advancing wetting front, with implications for seismic imaging of progressive wetting processes in crustal rocks.
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Computing leaky waves in semi-analytical waveguide models by exponential residual relaxation Gravenkamp, H., B. Plestenjak, and D. A. Kiefer Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering 452, 118763 (2026)
Résumé: Semi-analytical methods for modeling guided waves in structures of constant cross-section yield frequency-dependent polynomial eigenvalue problems for the wavenumbers and mode shapes. Solving these eigenvalue problems over a range of frequencies results in continuous eigencurves. Recent research has shown that eigencurves of differentiable parameter-dependent eigenvalue problems can alternatively be computed as solutions to a system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) obtained by postulating an exponentially decaying residual of a modal solution. Starting from an approximate initial guess of the eigenvalue and eigenvector at a given frequency, the complete eigencurve is obtained using standard numerical ODE solvers. We exploit this idea to develop an efficient method for computing the dispersion curves of plate structures coupled to unbounded solid or fluid media. In these scenarios, the approach is particularly useful because the boundary conditions give rise to nonlinear terms that severely hinder the application of traditional solvers. We discuss suitable approximations of the nonlinearity for obtaining initial values, analyze computational costs and robustness of the proposed algorithm, and verify results by comparison against existing methods.
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Wave propagation in a model artery Chantelot, P., A. Delory, C. Prada, and F. Lemoult Comptes Rendus. Mécanique 354, no. G1, 313-332 (2026)
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Acoustic transparency and absorption in dense granular suspensions Tourin, A., Y. Abraham, M. Palla, A. Le Ber, R. Pierrat, N. Benech, C. Negreira, and X. Jia Physical Review E 113, no. 2 (2026)
Résumé: We demonstrate the existence of a frequency band exhibiting acoustic transparency in two- and three-dimensional dense granular suspensions, enabling the transmission of a low-frequency ballistic wave excited by a high-frequency broadband ultrasound pulse. This phenomenon is attributed to spatial correlations in the structural disorder of the medium. To support this interpretation, we use an existing model that incorporates such correlations via the structure factor. Its predictions are shown to agree well with those of the generalized coherent potential approximation (GCPA) model, which is known to apply at high volume fractions, including the close packing limit, but does not explicitly account for disorder correlation. Within the transparency band, attenuation is found to be dominated by absorption rather than scattering. Measurements of the frequency dependence of the absorption coefficient reveal significant deviations from conventional models, challenging the current understanding of acoustic absorption in dense granular media.
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