Dispersion of elastic waves in three-dimensional noncohesive granular phononic crystals: Properties of rotational modes

The dispersion relations of bulk modes propagating within a hexagonal close-packed structure of noncohesive monodisperse spherical elastic beads are derived. The contacts are modeled by two springs with stiffnesses given by the Hertz-Mindlin theory, one for normal interactions and one for transverse interactions. The existence of the transverse interaction requires to take into account the rotational degrees of freedom of the beads in the analysis. This leads to the prediction of translational modes and, due to the rotational degrees of freedom, of rotational modes and coupled rotational and translational modes. The study of the dispersion relations in a direction of high symmetry allows to identify the different modes and the influence of the rotational degrees of freedom on the bulk mode propagation. The evaluated dispersion relations provide guidelines for the experimental observation of rotational modes. Opportunities for controlling the dispersion laws of the modes by an external loading on the granular structure are discussed.