Modulating Band Gap Structure by Parametric Excitations

Artificial periodic structures are used to control spatial and spectral properties of acoustic or elastic waves. The ability to exploit band gap structure creatively develops a new route to achieve excellently manipulated wave properties. In this study, we introduce a paradigm for a type of real-time band gap modulation technique based on parametric excitations. The longitudinal wave of one-dimensional (1D) spring-mass systems that undergo transverse periodic vibrations is investigated, in which the high-frequency vibration modes are considered as parametric excitation to provide pseudo-stiffness to the longitudinal elastic wave in the propagating direction. Both analytical and numerical methods are used to elucidate the versatility and efficiency of the proposed real-time dynamic modulating technique.