Nonlinear Waves

Roger Grimshaw, Gennady El, Karima Khusnutdinova

Lecture 15
Boussinesq equation with piecewise-constant coecients
(a nonlinear wave scattering problem)
March 11, 2010
Boussinesq equation with piecewise-constant coecients,
Lecture 15 by Karima Khusnutdinova
Introduction
Boussinesq-type equations belong to universal long-wave models of
nonlinear physics, naturally appearing in completely dierent physical
contexts (e.g., Lecture 6). Unlike the KdV equation, they describe waves,
which can propagate both to the right, and to the left (the two-way
long-wave equations).
Boussinesq-type equations with piecewise-constant coecients model
long waves propagating in inhomogeneous, rapidly varying environment.
Typically, an equation is supplemented with some natural continuity
conditions at the jump. As an example, we consider a problem appearing
in the context of wave scattering in layered elastic waveguides with poor
adhesion or delamination.
We consider an approach to the construction of weakly nonlinear
solutions of such problems, based on matched asymptotic multiple-scales
expansions, integrability theory of the leading order equations by the
Inverse Scattering Transform and some natural radiation conditions.
15.1 Scattering in split bars: physical problem formulation
Consider the propagation of long nonlinear longitudinal bulk waves in a
split, symmetric two-layered elastic bar (layers are identical, of the same
width 2a and the same height b; perfect interface for x < 0 and splitting
for x > 0; the material for x < 0 may be dierent from the material for
x > 0).
X
Y
Z
0
x = 0 x > 0 x < 0
Figure: Split, two-layered elastic bar.
Aim: pose a mathematical problem, and develop a mathematical
approach to the construction of the solution of such nonlinear scattering
problem, somewhat similar to linear scattering problems.
15.2 Model equation for long longitudinal waves
The Doubly Dispersive Equation (DDE) has been derived to describe
long nonlinear longitudinal waves in a cylindrical bar of circular cross
section by Samsonov in 1984 (see Lecture 6). The DDE can also be
derived to describe the propagation of a long nonlinear longitudinal bulk
wave in an isotropic elastic bar of rectangular cross section
= {a y a; b z b}:
u
tt
c
2
u
xx
=

u
x
u
xx
+
J
2

(u
tt
c
2
1
u
xx
)
xx
,
where c =
_
E/ is the linear longitudinal wave velocity,
c
1
=
_
/ = c/
_
2(1 +) is the linear shear wave velocity, and
J =
_

(y
2
+ z
2
)d =
4ab
3
(a
2
+ b
2
) is the polar moment of inertia of the
rectangular cross section .
X
Y
Z
0

Figure: Elastic bar of rectangular cross section.

15.2 Model equation for long longitudinal waves
Main assumptions:

Murnaghans 5-constant model for the density of potential energy :

= ( + 2)I
2
1
/2 2I
2
+ (l + 2m)I
3
1
/3 2mI
1
I
2
+ nI
3
+...
where
I
1
= tr C; I
2
= (1/2)[(tr C)
2
(tr C
2
)]; I
3
= det C
are invariants of the deformation tensor
C = [U + (U)
T
+U(U)
T
]/2

The planar cross-section hypothesis and the approximate relations

for the transverse displacements:
u = u(x, t) +..., v = yu
x
+..., w = zu
x
+...,
where =

2(+)
is Poissons ratio (Love, Volterra).

The scaling

Wave amplitude
Wave length

_
Bar width
Wave length
_
2
15.3 Scattering in split bars: mathematical problem
Assuming that the split area is {x > 0, a < y < a, z = 0}, using the
planar cross section hypothesis and the symmetry of the structure, we
consider the (1+1) - dimensional formulation of the problem:
u

tt
u

xx
= 2[6u

x
u

xx
+ u

xxxx
], (1)
u
+
tt
c
2
u
+
xx
= 2[6u
+
x
u
+
xx
+u
+
xxxx
], (2)
u

|
x=0
= u
+
|
x=0
, (3)
u

x
+ 2[3(u

x
)
2
+ u

xxx
]|
x=0
=
c
2
u
+
x
+ 2[3(u
+
x
)
2
+u
+
xxx
]|
x=0
. (4)
Here, we used asymptotic relations u

ttxx
= u

xxxx
+ O() and
u
+
ttxx
= c
2
u
+
xxxx
+ O() to simplify equations (not essential, we can
consider any asymptotically equivalent versions of the equations), and
introduced dimensionless parameters
c
2
=
c
2
+
c
2

, =

+

+
, =
J
+

2
+
(c
2
+
c
2
1+
)

(c
2

c
2
1
)
+
.
The same problem (1) (4) appears in the continuum approximation for
long weakly nonlinear waves in an inhomogeneous FPU chain (see
Lecture 6).
15.4 Weakly nonlinear solution: matched multiple-scales
expansions and radiation conditions
The weakly nonlinear solution of such problems can be constructed using
matched asymptotic multiple-scales expansions, some natural radiation
conditions and subsequent use of integrability theory of the leading order
equations by the inverse scattering transform (KK and Samsonov 2008):
For x < 0, we look for a leading order solution in the form
u

= I (

, X) + R(

, X) +P(

, X) + O(
2
), (5)
where

= x t and

= x + t are the fast characteristic variables,

and X = x is the slow space variable. This ansatz is similar to that
introduced by Miles (1977) in the study of the interaction of solitons,
apart from the replacement of the slow time with the slow space variable.
For x > 0, we look for a solution in the form
u
+
= T(
+
, X) +Q(
+
,
+
, X) + O(
2
), (6)
where, again, we introduce the characteristic variables

+
= x ct,
+
= x + ct, and the slow space variable X = x.
15.4 Weakly nonlinear solution: matched multiple-scales
expansions and radiation conditions
We assume that the right-propagating incident wave I (

, X) is known
and dened by a solution of the KdV equation:
I =
_

I d

, where

I
X
6

= 0. (7)
We need to nd the reected wave
R =
_

Rd

, where

R
X
6

+

R

= 0, (8)
and the higher-order terms:
P = 3[RI

+ IR

] +(

, X) +(

, X).
Here, we impose the rst radiation condition: there must be no
corrections to the given incident wave in the disturbance caused by it.
Therefore, we choose the function (

, X) = 0. The function (

, X)
has to be found from the continuity conditions.
15.4 Weakly nonlinear solution: matched multiple-scales
expansions and radiation conditions
Similarly, in the split area (x > 0), we look for the leading order
transmitted wave
T =
_

Td
+
, where

T
X
6

c
2

T

T

+
+

c
2

+
= 0, (9)
and the higher-order corrections
Q = q(
+
, X) + r (
+
, X).
Here, we impose the second radiation condition: if the incident wave is
coming only from the left, the waves on the right-hand side must be
right-going. Therefore, r (
+
, X) = 0. The function q(
+
, X) should be
found from the continuity conditions.
15.5 Weakly nonlinear solution: continuity conditions
Then, from continuity conditions we can nd the initial conditions for
the KdV equations, dening both reected and transmitted strain
waves at x = 0 in terms of the given incident wave:

R|
x=0
= C
R

I |
x=0
and

T|
x=0
= C
T

I |
x=0
, (10)
where we introduced the reection coecient
C
R
=
c 1
c + 1
, (11)
and the transmission coecient
C
T
=
2
c(1 + c)
. (12)
Note, that if c = 1, i.e. if c

= c
+
, then the reection coecient
C
R
= 0, and there will be no leading order reected wave.
15.5 Weakly nonlinear solution: continuity conditions
We can now obtain

|
x=0
=
_
1
1 + c
(cf (t, X) + g(t, X))
_
x=0
,
q

+
|
x=0
=
_
1
c(1 + c)
(f (t, X) g(t, X))
_
x=0
, (13)
where by now both functions f (t, X) and g(t, X) are completely dened
in terms of the leading order incident, reected and transmitted waves:
f (t, X) =
_
3(R + C
R
I )I

x=0
,
g(t, X) =
_
3
_
(1 + C
R
)
2
C
2
T
_
I
2

_
1 + C
R
c
2
C
T
_
I

3(R C
R
I )I

x=0
. (14)
15.5 Weakly nonlinear solution: continuity conditions
This allows us to restore the dependence of (

, X) and q(
+
, X) on
their respective characteristic variables
(

, X) =
1
1 + c
_
[cf (

, X) + g(

, X)] d

,
q(
+
, X) =
1
c(1 + c)

_ _
f
_

+
c
, X
_
g
_

+
c
, X
__
d
+
, (15)
while, with the same accuracy as in the formulation of the problem, the
dependence of both functions on the slow space variable X is inherited
from the dependence of the leading order incident, reected and
transmitted waves. The constants of integration should be found from
some additional physical conditions. We require that both the incident
and transmitted waves propagate into unperturbed medium, and use the
continuity condition for displacements.
15.6.a Incident solitary wave
We assume that the leading order right-propagating incident strain
wave is given by an exact solitary wave solution of the KdV (incident)
equation:

I =
v
2
sech
2

v
2
(

vX).
Requiring that the incident wave propagates into unperturbed medium
lim
t
(I |
x=0
) = 0,
we obtain, by integration:
I =

v
_
tanh

v
2
(

vX) 1
_
. (16)
We should describe the leading order reected and transmitted waves, as
well as the higher-order corrections. Since experimentally measured
quantities are the strains u

x
and u
+
x
, we aim at nding the explicit
leading order asymptotics of these functions for large t and x.
15.6.b Transmitted wave
The leading order transmitted wave eld in the delaminated area can be
described using the results from the integrability theory of the KdV
equation by the Inverse Scattering Transform (Gardner, Green, Kruskal
and Miura 1967) and our formulae for the transmitted wave.
To write KdV (transmitted) in the canonical form
U

6UU

+ U

= 0,
we introduce the following variables: U =

T, =

c
2
X, =
+
.
The transmitted wave is dened by the spectrum of the Schrodinger
equation associated with the (transmitted) KdV equation:

+ [ U()] = 0, (17)
where, the potential is given by
U() = A sech
2

l
, A =
v
c(1 + c)
, l =
2c

v
.
The discrete eigenvalues for such a potential are:
= k
2
n
, k
n
=
1
2l
_
(1 + 4Al
2
)
1/2
(2n 1)
_
> 0, n = 1, ..., N
(e.g., Landau and Lifshitz 1959).
15.6.b Transmitted wave
Key steps:

From (17), decays exponentially at innity if < 0 and

oscillates sinusoidally at innity if > 0 (for suciently rapidly
decaying potential).

If U() > 0 (i.e., A < 0), then the discrete spectrum is empty.
Indeed, from (17),
=
< , (
d
2
d
2
+ U()) >
< , >
=
<

> + < U(), >

< , >
> 0.

Consider A > 0 (U() < 0). Rescale to have l = 1.

Substitution T = tanh x maps (17) to the associated Legendre

equation
d
dT
_
(1 T
2
)
d
dT
_
+
_
( + 1)

2
1 T
2
_
= 0, (18)
where = (1 +

1 + 4A)/2, =

.
15.6.b Transmitted wave

Further substitution = (1 T
2
)
/2
w(u), u = (1 T)/2 maps
(18) to a hypergeometric equation
u(1 u)w

+ [c (1 + a + b)u]w

abw = 0, (19)
with a = , b = + + 1, c = + 1.

Require that is nite at T = 1 (i.e. u = 0). Then,

w =
2
F
1
(a, b; c; u) =

n=0
(a)
n
(b)
n
n!(c)
n
u
n
, where
2
F
1
[...] is the
hypergeometric function, and (a)
n
= a(a + 1)(a + 2) . . . (a + n 1)
is the Barnes symbol. This yields
= (1 T
2
)
/2
2
F
1
(a, b; c;
1 T
2
).
(Another linearly independent solution of (19) is not nite at
u = 0.)

Require that is also nite at T = 1 (i.e. u = 1). Then,

= n, where n = 0, 1, 2, .... In this case the hypergeometric
function is a polynomial of degree n, nite at u = 1 (e.g., Hochstadt
1986 or Abramowitz and Stegun 1972).
15.6.b Transmitted wave
The number N of secondary solitary waves produced in the split area is
dened by the largest integer satisfying the inequality
N <
1
2
"

1 +
4
2

1/2
+ 1
#
,
where =

Al = 2
s

c
1 + c
. (20)
Parameters , and c depend on material properties and geometry of
the waveguide. There is always one solitary wave for small , while more
solitons will emerge as increases. Asymptotically, as +, the
solution evolves into a procession of solitary waves propagating to the
right, and some dispersive radiation (a dispersive wave train) propagating
to the left (e.g., Drazin 1983):
U
N

n=1
2k
2
n
sech
2
k
n
( 4k
2
n

n
) + radiation.
Thus, a single incident soliton can scatter into several transmitted
solitons (a soliton train). This phenomenon is known as ssion (Tappert
and Zabusky 1971).
15.6.b Transmitted wave
The phase shifts of the solitary waves are given by

1
=
1
2k
1
log
_
c
1
2k
1
_
, and

n
=
1
2k
n
log
_
c
n
2k
n
n1

m=1
_
k
n
k
m
k
n
+ k
m
_
2
_
for n > 1. (21)
The constants c
n
are equal to c
n
=
_
_

2
n
(x)dx
_
1
, where
n
(x) is
the eigenfunction corresponding to the n-th eigenvalue k
2
n
:

n
= const
_
1 tanh
2
x
l
_
k
n
l
2

2
F
1
_
1 n, 2k
n
l + n, k
n
l + 1,
1 tanh
x
l
2
_
. (22)
Here, an arbitrary constant should be chosen to normalize the
eigenfunction at innity:

n
e
k
n
x
as x +.
15.6.b Transmitted wave
Is ssion possible if the waveguide is made of one and the same material?
The answer is entirely dened by the geometry of the waveguide. Indeed,
in this case, c = 1, = 1 and =
J
+

+
=
4+
2
4(1+
2
)
, where = b/a. This
yields
N =
_
largest integer <
1
2
_
_
1 + 32
1 +
2
4 +
2
+ 1
__
.
Thus, the number of secondary solitons depends on , and there will be
either two (for < 2

2) or three (for 2

2) solitons. For example,

for = 1 (i.e., b = a) there will be two secondary solitons.
200 100 0 100 200
0.30
0.25
0.20
0.15
0.10
0.05
0.00

U
X 100
Figure: Two secondary solitons and dispersive radiation in the transmitted
wave eld.
15.6.c Reected wave
The reected wave eld is dened by the spectrum of the Schrodinger
equation, where the potential U() is given by
U() = B sech
2

m
, B =
v(c 1)
2(c + 1)
, m =
2

v
.
Here, the sign of the coecient B depends on the sign of the reection
coecient C
R
=
c1
c+1
, and is negative if c < 1. In this case the reected
wave eld does not contain any solitary waves, and the initial pulse
degenerates into a dispersive wave train. If c > 1, there will be at least
one reected solitary wave accompanied by radiation.
If the structure is made of one and the same material, then the reection
coecient C
R
= 0, and there will be no leading order reected wave.
15.6.d Higher-order corrections
The expansions of the strain elds u

x
and u
+
x
are given by
u

x
= I
x
(

, X) + R
x
(

, X)
+
_
3[R

+ 2

I

R + I

R

]
+
1
1 + c
g(

, X)
_
, (23)
and
u
+
x
= T
x
(
+
, X)
1
c(1 + c)
g(

+
c
, X), (24)
respectively. Here, the long-wave corrections in (23) describe diraction
in the vicinity of the jump, and higher-order correction to the reected
wave, while (24) gives higher-order correction to the transmitted wave.
15.6.d Higher-order corrections
As it was mentioned before, there is no leading order reected wave if
c = 1. However, a small (i.e., higher-order) reected wave exists in
higher-order corrections to the strain eld u

x
:
u

x
= I
x
(

, X) +r (

, X), where
r (

, X) =
v
2
8
sech
4

v
2
(

+ vX)
_
1 + 2 3 + (1 ) cosh

v(

+ vX)

.
5
0
5
10
15

15
10
5
0
X
0.004
0.002
r
Figure: Higher-order reected wave.
There is also a similar correction to the transmitted strain wave eld.
15.7 Application to a symmetric multi-layered bar
We can consider the case of a symmetric n-layered elastic bar, under the
assumption that all interfaces are perfect when x < 0 and completely
split when x > 0. We assume that layers are identical, of the width 2a
and the height 2b/n. For example, if all elements of the structure are
made of one and the same material, the number of secondary solitons in
the split area is given by
N =
_
largest integer <
1
2
_
_
1 + 8n
2
1 +
2
n
2
+
2
+ 1
__
.
It depends on the geometry of the waveguide via the ratio = b/a and
the number of layers n, for example:
n = 2 n = 3 n = 4
= b/a 1 2 3 1 2 3 1 2 3
N 2 2 3 2 3 3 2 3 4
15.8 Experimental observations
Experiments in the Ioe Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences,
St. Petersburg, using holographic interferometry and laser induced
generation of a compression solitary wave in two- and three-layered
PMMA bars, bonded using ethyl cyanoacrylate-based (CA) adhesive.
Figure: Splitting induced generation of soliton trains from a single incident
soliton (from [2]).
Lecture 15 References
1. K.R. Khusnutdinova, A.M. Samsonov, Fission of a longitudinal strain
solitary wave in a delaminated bar, Phys. Rev. E. 77 066603 (2008).
2. G.V. Dreiden, K.R. Khusnutdinova, A.M. Samsonov, and I.V.
Semenova, Splitting induced generation of soliton trains in layered
waveguides, J. Appl. Phys. 107, 034909 (2010).
3. P.G. Drazin 1983 Solitons, London Mathematical Society, Lecture
Note Series 85, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
4. L.D. Landau and E.M. Lifshitz 1958 Quantum mechanics
Nonrelativistic theory, Pergamon Press, Reading.
5. G.B. Whitham 1974 Linear and Nonlinear Waves, Wiley, New York.
6. R. Grimshaw (ed.) 2007 Solitary Waves in Fluids, Advances in Fluid
Mechanics, Vol 47, WIT Press, UK.
7. H. Hochstadt 1986 The functions of mathematical physics, Dover,
New York.
8. M. Abramowitz and I.A. Stegun 1972 Handbook of Mathematical
Functions, Dover.