Expedited Award for Novel Research: Preliminary Investi- gation of Solitons in Solid Mechanics

本提案的目的是对固体材料中孤子的影响进行初步的分析/实验研究。孤子是在非线性弹性介质中以恒定速度传播而不改变形状和振幅的单个孤立波脉冲。自1834年发现以来，人们一直在理论上研究它，但迄今为止，还没有在固体中进行过实验记录。这是一项新研究加速奖，其中pi将尝试通过影响由金属和橡胶板交替制成的一维夹层模型来间接探测孤子。金属板的连续碎裂将是孤子存在的间接和简单的证据。除了其学术意义外，该孤子研究将为弹性弹簧的动态断裂和冲击隔离装置的设计提供见解。

The objective of this proposal is to conduct a preliminary analytical/experimental investigation on the effects of solitons in solid materials. Soliton is a single isolated wave pulse which propagates at a constant velocity without change in shape or amplitude in a nonlinear elastic medium. Since its discovery in 1834, it has been studied theoretically but to date it has never been recorded experimentally in solids. This is an Expedited Award for Novel Research in which the PIs will attempt to detect the solitons indirectly by impacting a one dimensional sandwich model which is fabricated with alternating metal and rubber plates. Successive spallation of the metal plates will be an indirect and simple evidence of the existence of solitons. In addition to its academic interest, this soliton study will provide an insight to the dynamic fracture of elastomeric spring and in the design of shock isolation devices.