Propagation of acoustic waves in a one-dimensional array of noncohesive cylinders

By means of a photoelastic method, we access the visualization of acoustic waves propagating in a one-dimensional array of noncohesive cylinders. As pointed by Nesterenko in the case of spherical grains [V. F. Nesterenko, J. Appl. Mech. Tech. Phys. 24, p. 567 (1983)], the nonlinearity of the contact law between the grains induces a dependence of the wave velocity both on its amplitude and on the confinement force. Our experimental method allows one to access the evolution in time of the internal state of stress of individual grains with excellent accuracy. We show that the velocity of the sound presents two regimes as a function of the confining force. For low forces, the dependence is strongly nonlinear, while it weakens for higher forces. By means of the direct visualization of the contact zone, we show that both micro- and macroscale imperfections of the surface of contact explain the low forces behavior. We test the consistency of our experimental findings results with both the theoretical expectations and with the experimental determination of the force-displacement dependence. We show, moreover, that the main damping process originates in solid friction.