A multiple scattering formulation for elastic wave propagation in space–time modulated metamaterials

Space–time modulation of material parameters offers new possibilities for manipulating elastic wave propagation by exploiting time-reversal symmetry breaking. Here, we propose and validate a general framework based on the multiple scattering theory to model space–time modulated elastic metamaterials, namely elastic waveguides equipped with modulated resonators. The formulation allows to consider an arbitrary distribution of resonators with a generic space–time modulation profile and compute the wavefield within and outside the resonators’ region. Under appropriate assumptions, the same framework can be exploited to predict the waveguide dispersion relation. We demonstrate the capabilities of our formulation by revisiting the dynamics of two representative space–time modulated systems, e.g., the non-reciprocal propagation of (i) flexural waves along a metabeam and (ii) surface acoustic waves along a metasurface. Given its flexibility, the proposed method can facilitate the design of novel devices able to realize unidirectional transport of elastic energy for vibration isolation, signal processing and energy harvesting purposes.