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  1. (Member ․ Ph.D. Student, Department of ICT Integrated Ocean Smart City Engineering, Dong-A University(nurindahmukharromah@gmail.com))
  2. (Member ․ Postdoctoral Researcher, Department of ICT Integrated Ocean Smart City Engineering, Dong-A University(ltjeong@donga.ac.kr))
  3. (Member ․ Corresponding Author ․ Professor, Department of ICT Integrated Ocean Smart City Engineering, Dong-A University(hwpark@donga.ac.kr))



Infinite elastic waveguide , Crack , Wave scattering coefficient , Closed-form solution , Axial-bending coupling (ABC) ,

1. Introduction

The elastic waveguide technique is a commonly used non-destructive testing (NDT) method for detecting cracks and defects. In this approach, the wave scattering coefficient is crucial for analyzing the transmission and reflection of incident waves when they encounter a crack. This analysis can involve two types of incident waves: bending waves and axial waves.

Research trends indicate that relatively few studies have applied beam theory for this analysis, whether considering pure bending behaviors (Mei et al., 2006; Park and Lim, 2018; Park and Hwang, 2022) or coupling between axial and bending behaviors at the crack based on linear fracture mechanics (Dual, 1992). Furthermore, studies on the coupling effects using the beam theory typically examine bending incident waves, leaving axial incident waves largely unexplored. In Dual (1992)'s study, which includes axial-bending or bending-shear coupling, the wave scattering coefficient is predicted numerically due to the enhanced complexity as crack depth and frequency increase, posing challenges for analytical solutions and encouraging the use of numerical methods. Consequently, many studies have extensively used the finite element method (FEM) for accurate predictions (Castaings et al., 2002; Lowe et al., 2002; Benmeddour et al., 2009). However, FEM requires finer meshes and becomes computationally expensive at high frequencies. Therefore, there is a need for closed-form solutions that can provide immediate results, as suggested by Dual (1992) for the potential existence of closed-form solutions in such scenarios.

Park and Lim (2018) developed a closed-form solution for the reflection coefficient, considering pure bending behaviors at the crack with bending incident waves, yet its accuracy is limited to a crack depth ratio of 0.2. A similar trend was observed in analyses involving axial incident waves by considering pure axial behaviors at the crack, where accuracy reduces as crack depth increases. To address these limitations, Castaings et al. (2002) emphasized the importance of considering axial-bending coupling (ABC) in cases involving deep cracks.

This study aims to derive a closed-form solution for the wave scattering coefficient induced by bending and axial incident waves, with consideration of ABC through elementary rod and Timoshenko beam theories. The proposed closed-form solution is designed as a general model, applicable across various materials and structures once specific details and properties are provided. By adopting this approach, the potential applicability of a novel research methodology based on beam theory is evaluated, in comparison to previous studies.

2. Spectral Solutions for Wave Scattering at the Edge Crack

2.1 Spectral Analysis

Fig. 1 illustrates the spectral analysis of wave scattering at an edge crack induced by incident waves. When incident waves $\left(A_{I}^{+}\right)$, whether bending $\left(A_{p}^{+}\right)$ or axial $\left(A_{a}^{+}\right)$, encounter a crack, they are reflected and transmitted as three types of wave motions: propagating, mode-converted, and evanescent (Yuan et al., 2008). Among the wave motions, there are two types of wave motions that result from the mode conversion, distinguishing them from the original incident waves. For example, if the incident waves is axial, the wave motions resulting from the mode conversion are mode-converted bending waves and evanescent bending waves.

Fig. 1. Spectral Representation of Wave Scattering at the Edge Crack Induced by Incident Waves in an Infinite Beam

../../Resources/KSCE/Ksce.2025.45.1.0013/fig1.png

The spectral solutions for the axial displacement at the neutral axis of the beam, calculated on both sides of the crack, follow the principles of elementary rod theory (Doyle, 1989). These spectral solutions are influenced by the type of incident waves. The spectral solutions for the axial displacement at the left and right sides of the crack due to the bending incident waves are written as follows:

(1)

$u_{L}(x_{1})=A_{a}^{-}e^{-ik_{a}x_{1}}$

$u_{R}(x_{2})=B_{a}^{+}e^{-ik_{a}x_{2}}$

where $A_{a}^{-}$ and $B_{a}^{+}$ denote the reflected and transmitted axial waves during the mode conversion from bending to axial waves, respectively. Meanwhile, the spectral solutions for axial displacement at the left and right sides of the crack induced by axial incident waves are expressed as follows:

(2)
$ u_{L}(x_{1})=A_{a}^{+}e^{ik_{a}x_{1}}+A_{a}^{-}e^{-ik_{a}x_{1}}\\ \\ u_{R}(x_{2})=B_{a}^{+}e^{-ik_{a}x_{2}} $

where $A_{a}^{-}$ and $B_{a}^{+}$ represent two axial waves which are directly reflected and transmitted without mode conversion (i.e., axial to axial), respectively. The parameter $k_{a}$ in both spectral solutions above denotes the axial wave number, which is determined by the dispersion equation of elementary rod theory, as follows:

(3)
$k_{a}=\sqrt{\dfrac{\rho}{E}}\omega$

where $\rho$, $E$, and $\omega$ are the beam density, elastic modulus, and angular frequency, respectively.

The spectral solutions for the rotational angle and transverse displacement are based on Timoshenko beam theory (Mei and Mace, 2005). These spectral solutions, calculated on both sides of the crack, are also affected by the type of incident waves. The spectral solutions for rotational angle and transverse displacement generated by bending incident waves at the left and right sides of the crack are expressed as follows:

(4)
$ w_{L}(x_{1})=A_{p}^{+}e^{ik_{p}x_{1}}+A_{p}^{-}e^{-ik_{p}x_{1}}+A_{e}^{-}e^{-k_{e}x_{1}}\\ \\ w_{R}(x_{2})=B_{p}^{+}e^{-ik_{p}x_{2}}+B_{e}^{+}e^{-k_{e}x_{2}}\\ \\ \theta_{L}(x_{1})=-i PA_{p}^{+}e^{ik_{p}x_{1}}+i PA_{p}^{-}e^{-ik_{p}x_{1}}+NA_{e}^{-}e^{-k_{e}x_{1}}\\ \\ \theta_{R}(x_{2})=-i PB_{p}^{+}e^{-ik_{p}x_{2}}-NB_{e}^{+}e^{-k_{e}x_{2}} $

where $P$, $N$, $k_{p}$, and $k_{e}$ denote the rotational angle coefficient, transverse displacement coefficient, propagating wave number, and evanescent wave number, respectively. It should also be noted that $A_{p}^{-}$ and $B_{p}^{+}$ in the equation above represent the reflected and transmitted propagating bending waves, respectively, while $A_{e}^{-}$ and $B_{e}^{+}$ correspond to the reflected and transmitted evanescent bending waves, respectively.

The spectral solutions for rotational angle and transverse displacement generated by axial incident waves at the left and right sides of the crack are written as follows:

(5)
$ w_{L}(x_{1})=A_{p}^{-}e^{-ik_{p}x_{1}}+A_{e}^{-}e^{-k_{e}x_{1}}\\\\ w_{R}(x_{2})=B_{p}^{+}e^{-ik_{p}x_{2}}+B_{e}^{+}e^{-k_{e}x_{2}}\\\\ \theta_{L}(x_{1})=i PA_{p}^{-}e^{-ik_{p}x_{1}}+NA_{e}^{-}e^{-k_{e}x_{1}}\\\\ \theta_{R}(x_{2})=-i PB_{p}^{+}e^{-ik_{p}x_{2}}-NB_{e}^{+}e^{-k_{e}x_{2}} $

where $A_{p}^{-}$ and $B_{p}^{+}$ are the reflected and transmitted bending waves during the mode conversion from axial to bending waves, respectively, while $A_{e}^{-}$ and $B_{e}^{+}$ denote the reflected and transmitted evanescent bending waves, respectively. The parameters $P$, $N$, $k_{p}$, and $k_{e}$ in both spectral solutions above can be determined as follows:

(6)
$ P=k_{p}\left(1-\dfrac{\omega^{2}}{k_{p}^{2}c_{q}^{2}}\right),\: N=k_{e}\left(1+\dfrac{\omega^{2}}{k_{e}^{2}c_{q}^{2}}\right)\\ \\ k_{p}=\sqrt{\dfrac{X+\sqrt{X^{2}-4Y}}{2}},\: k_{e}=\sqrt{\dfrac{-X+\sqrt{X^{2}-4Y}}{2}}\\ \\ X=\omega^{2}\left(\dfrac{1}{c_{0}^{2}}+\dfrac{1}{c_{q}^{2}}\right),\: Y=\dfrac{\omega^{4}}{c_{0}^{2}c_{q}^{2}}-\dfrac{\omega^{2}}{c_{0}^{2}r^{2}}\\ \\ c_{0}^{2}=\dfrac{E}{\rho},\: c_{q}^{2}=\dfrac{\kappa G}{\rho},\: r^{2}=\dfrac{I}{A} $

where $\kappa$, $G$, $I$, and $A$ represent the shear coefficient, shear modulus, second moment of inertia, and beam cross-sectional area, respectively. It should be noted that Eq. (6) is valid when the corresponding angular frequency is below the cut-off frequency $\left(\dfrac{c_{q}}{r}\right)$.

As explained above, each incident wave generates six unknowns, represented as $A_{a}^{-}$, $B_{a}^{+}$, $A_{p}^{-}$, $B_{p}^{+}$, $A_{e}^{-}$, and $B_{e}^{+}$, as outlined in Eqs. (1) and (4) for bending incident waves, and Eqs. (2) and (5) for axial incident waves. The proposed closed-form solutions for wave scattering coefficients, labeled as $R_{a}$, $T_{a}$, $R_{p}$, $T_{p}$, $R_{e}$, and $T_{e}$ in Fig. 1, are obtained by dividing these unknowns by the respective incident bending or axial wave.

2.2 Compatibility and Equilibrium Conditions at the Edge Crack

Six conditions at the edge crack were considered to derive the wave scattering coefficients: three compatibility conditions and three equilibrium equations. Fig. 2 demonstrates the three compatibility conditions for axial displacement, rotational angle, and transverse displacement. These compatibility conditions assume that the local behavior of the beam at the edge crack follows linear fracture mechanics (Park and Lim, 2020), as follows:

(7)
$ u_{R}-u_{L}=F_{aa}u'_{L}+F_{ab}\theta'_{L}\\ \\ \theta_{R}-\theta_{L}=F_{bb}\theta'_{L}+F_{ba}u'_{L}\\ \\ w_{R}-w_{L}=0 $

The three equilibrium equations correspond to the equilibrium of axial force, moment, and shear force as follows:

(8)
$ EAu'_{L}=EAu'_{R}\\\\ EI\theta'_{L}=EI\theta'_{R}\\\\ \kappa GA\left(-w'_{L}+\theta_{L}+w'_{R}-\theta_{R}\right)=0 $

It should be noted that $'$ represent the spatial differential operator. The local flexibility coefficients $F_{aa}$, $F_{ab}$, $F_{ba}$, and $F_{bb}$ are mode I crack (opening crack mode) (Park and Lim, 2020) and are defined in terms of the configuration correction factors in linear fracture mechanics (Tada et al., 1973).

Fig. 2. Three Compatibility Conditions at the Edge Crack. (a) Axial Displacement, (b) Rotational Angle, (c) Transverse Displacement

../../Resources/KSCE/Ksce.2025.45.1.0013/fig2.png

3. Closed-form Solutions for Wave Scattering Coefficients

The wave scattering coefficients can be determined by applying the spectral solutions for each type of incident waves, as shown in Eqs. (1) and (4) for bending incident waves and Eqs. (2) and (5) for axial incident waves, to the six conditions at the edge crack outlined in Eqs. (7) to (8).

3.1 Solutions Induced by Bending Incident Waves

The six unknowns $A_{a}^{-}$, $B_{a}^{+}$, $A_{p}^{-}$, $B_{p}^{+}$, $A_{e}^{-}$, and $B_{e}^{+}$ resulting from bending incident waves can be obtained from the initial step of the wave scattering coefficient derivation outlined below.

i) Axial displacement compatibility

(9)
$ u_{R}-u_{L}=F_{aa}u'_{L}+F_{ab}\theta'_{L}\\\\ \Rightarrow Pk_{p}F_{ab}A_{p}^{+}-\left(1+ik_{a}F_{aa}\right)A_{a}^{-}+B_{a}^{+}+Pk_{p}F_{ab}A_{p}^{-}\\ \\ -Nk_{e}F_{ab}A_{e}^{-}=0 $

where $'$ denotes the spatial differential operator, expressed as $\dfrac{d}{dx_{1}}$ on the left side and $\dfrac{d}{dx_{2}}$ on the right side of the

crack, within the dual coordinate system shown in Fig. 1.

ii) Rotational angle compatibility

(10)
$ \theta_{R}-\theta_{L}=F_{bb}\theta'_{L}+F_{ba}u'_{L}\\\\ \Rightarrow\left(i P+Pk_{p}F_{bb}\right)A_{p}^{+}-ik_{a}F_{ba}A_{a}^{-}-\left(i P-Pk_{p}F_{bb}\right)A_{p}^{-}-i PB_{p}^{+}\\\\ -\left(2N+Nk_{e}F_{bb}\right)A_{e}^{-}=0 $

iii) Transverse displacement compatibility

(11)
$ w_{R}-w_{L}=0\\\\ \Rightarrow A_{p}^{+}+A_{p}^{-}-B_{p}^{+}=0 $

iv) Equilibrium of axial force

(12)
$ EAu'_{L}=EAu'_{R}\\\\ \Rightarrow A_{a}^{-}+B_{a}^{+}=0 $

v) Equilibrium of moment

(13)
$ EI\theta'_{L}=EI\theta'_{R}\\\\ \Rightarrow A_{p}^{+}+A_{p}^{-}-B_{p}^{+}=0 $

vi) Equilibrium of shear force

(14)
$ \kappa GA\left(-w'_{L}+\theta_{L}+w'_{R}-\theta_{R}\right)=0\\\\ \Rightarrow i\left(k_{p}-P\right)A_{p}^{+}-i\left(k_{p}-P\right)A_{p}^{-}-i\left(k_{p}-P\right)B_{p}^{+}\\\\ +2\left(N-k_{e}\right)A_{e}^{-}=0 $

Further mathematical steps elaborated in Appendix were performed to obtain the closed-form solution for wave scattering coefficients using Eqs. (9) to (14). The resulting closed-form solution for bending incident waves, with consideration of ABC, is as follows:

· Wave scattering coefficient for axial waves

(15a)
$R_{a}=\dfrac{A_{a}^{-}}{A_{p}^{+}}=\dfrac{2i\hat{P}\hat{\Gamma}\widetilde{F}_{ab}}{\left(2+i\widetilde{F}_{aa}\right)\left[2i\hat{\Gamma}-\left\{\hat{P}-i(\hat{\Gamma}-\hat{P})\hat{k}_{e}\right\}\left(\psi\widetilde{F}_{bb}\right)\right]}$
(15b)
$T_{a}=\dfrac{B_{a}^{+}}{A_{p}^{+}}=-\dfrac{2i\hat{P}\hat{\Gamma}\widetilde{F}_{ab}}{\left(2+i\widetilde{F}_{aa}\right)\left[2i\hat{\Gamma}-\left\{\hat{P}-i(\hat{\Gamma}-\hat{P})\hat{k}_{e}\right\}\left(\psi\widetilde{F}_{bb}\right)\right]}$

where $\hat{}$ and $\widetilde{}$ represent the normalized parameters resulting from division by either $k_{p}$ or $k_{e}$ and multiplying by either $k_{a}$ or $k_{p}$, respectively.

· Wave scattering coefficient for propagating bending waves

(16a)
$R_{p}=\dfrac{A_{p}^{-}}{A_{p}^{+}}=\dfrac{\hat{P}\left(\psi\widetilde{F}_{bb}\right)}{2i\hat{\Gamma}-\left\{\hat{P}-i(\hat{\Gamma}-\hat{P})\hat{k}_{e}\right\}\left(\psi\widetilde{F}_{bb}\right)}$
(16b)
$T_{p}=\dfrac{B_{p}^{+}}{A_{p}^{+}}=\dfrac{2i\hat{\Gamma}+i(\hat{\Gamma}-\hat{P})\hat{k}_{e}\left(\psi\widetilde{F}_{bb}\right)}{2i\hat{\Gamma}-\left\{\hat{P}-i(\hat{\Gamma}-\hat{P})\hat{k}_{e}\right\}\left(\psi\widetilde{F}_{bb}\right)}$

· Wave scattering coefficient for evanescent bending waves

(17)
$R_{e}=T_{e}=\dfrac{A_{e}^{-}}{A_{p}^{+}}=\dfrac{B_{e}^{+}}{A_{p}^{+}}=\dfrac{i\hat{P}\hat{k}_{e}\left(\psi\widetilde{F}_{bb}\right)}{2i\hat{\Gamma}-\left\{\hat{P}-i(\hat{\Gamma}-\hat{P})\hat{k}_{e}\right\}\left(\psi\widetilde{F}_{bb}\right)}$

where

(18)
$ \widetilde{F}_{ab}=k_{p}^{2}F_{ab},\: \widetilde{F}_{aa}=k_{a}F_{aa},\: F_{bb}=k_{p}F_{bb}\\\\ \psi =\dfrac{\left\{2+i(1-\chi)k_{a}F_{aa}\right\}}{\left(2+ik_{a}F_{aa}\right)},\: \chi =\dfrac{F_{ab}F_{ba}}{F_{aa}F_{bb}}\\\\ \hat{P}=\dfrac{P}{k_{p}}=1-\hat{k_{q}^{2}},\: \hat{\Gamma}=1+\hat{k_{e}^{2}},\: \hat{k_{e}}=\dfrac{k_{e}}{k_{p}},\: \hat{k_{q}}=\dfrac{k_{q}}{k_{p}} $

It should be noted that $\chi$ corresponds to the ABC factor. When this term is set to zero, indicating no ABC, the resulting wave scattering coefficients will align with those calculated under pure bending behaviors at the crack, particularly $R_{p}$, $T_{p}$, $R_{e}$, and $T_{e}$, while $R_{a}$ and $T_{a}$ will become zero due to the absence of ABC.

3.2 Solutions Induced by Axial Incident Waves

Similar to wave scattering coefficients due to bending incident waves, the derivation of the wave scattering coefficients begins with the initial step outlined below to obtain the six unknowns $A_{a}^{-}$, $B_{a}^{+}$, $A_{p}^{-}$, $B_{p}^{+}$, $A_{e}^{-}$, and $B_{e}^{+}$ resulting from axial incident waves.

i) Axial displacement compatibility

(19)
$ u_{R}-u_{L}=F_{aa}u'_{L}+F_{ab}\theta'_{L}\\\\ \Rightarrow\left(1-ik_{a}F_{aa}\right)A_{a}^{+}+\left(1+ik_{a}F_{aa}\right)A_{a}^{-}-B_{a}^{+}-Pk_{p}F_{ab}A_{p}^{-}\\\\ +Nk_{e}F_{ab}A_{e}^{-}=0 $

ii) Rotational angle compatibility

(20)
$ \theta_{R}-\theta_{L}=F_{bb}\theta'_{L}+F_{ba}u'_{L}\\\\ \Rightarrow ik_{a}F_{ba}A_{a}^{+}-ik_{a}F_{ba}A_{a}^{-}-\left(i P-Pk_{p}F_{bb}\right)A_{p}^{-}-i PB_{p}^{+}\\\\ -\left(2N+Nk_{e}F_{bb}\right)A_{e}^{-}=0 $

iii) Transverse displacement compatibility

(21)
$ w_{R}-w_{L}=0\\\\ \Rightarrow A_{p}^{-}-B_{p}^{+}=0 $

iv) Equilibrium of axial force

(22)
$ EAu'_{L}=EAu'_{R}\\\\ \Rightarrow A_{a}^{+}-A_{a}^{-}-B_{a}^{+}=0 $

v) Equilibrium of moment

(23)
$ EI\theta'_{L}=EI\theta'_{R}\\\\ \Rightarrow A_{p}^{-}-B_{p}^{+}=0 $

vi) Equilibrium of shear force

(24)
$ \kappa GA\left(-w'_{L}+\theta_{L}+w'_{R}-\theta_{R}\right)=0\\\\ \Rightarrow i\left(k_{p}-P\right)A_{p}^{-}+i\left(k_{p}-P\right)B_{p}^{+}-2\left(N-k_{e}\right)A_{e}^{-}=0 $

Similar to bending incident waves case, additional mathematical manipulation was also conducted to derive the closed-form solution for wave scattering coefficients using Eqs. (19) to (24). The proposed closed-form solution for axial incident waves, considering ABC, is as follows:

· Wave scattering coefficient for axial waves

(25a)
$R_{a}=\dfrac{A_{a}^{-}}{A_{a}^{+}}=\dfrac{4i\hat{\Gamma}-2\left\{\hat{P}-i(\hat{\Gamma}-\hat{P})\hat{k}_{e}\right\}\widetilde{F}_{bb}}{\left(2+i\widetilde{F}_{aa}\right)\left[2i\hat{\Gamma}-\left\{\hat{P}-i(\hat{\Gamma}-\hat{P})\hat{k}_{e}\right\}\left(\psi\widetilde{F}_{bb}\right)\right]}$
(25b)
$T_{a}=\dfrac{B_{a}^{+}}{A_{a}^{+}}=\dfrac{i\widetilde{F}_{aa}\left(2i\hat{\Gamma}-(1-\chi)\left\{\hat{P}-i(\hat{\Gamma}-\hat{P})\hat{k}_{e}\right\}\widetilde{F}_{bb}\right)}{\left(2+i\widetilde{F}_{aa}\right)\left[2i\hat{\Gamma}-\left\{\hat{P}-i(\hat{\Gamma}-\hat{P})\hat{k}_{e}\right\}\left(\psi\widetilde{F}_{bb}\right)\right]}$

· Wave scattering coefficient for mode-converted bending waves

(26)
$R_{p}=T_{p}=\dfrac{A_{p}^{-}}{A_{a}^{+}}=\dfrac{B_{p}^{+}}{A_{a}^{+}}=\dfrac{2i\hat{k}_{a}\widetilde{F}_{ba}}{\left(2+i\widetilde{F}_{aa}\right)\left[2i\hat{\Gamma}-\left\{\hat{P}-i(\hat{\Gamma}-\hat{P})\hat{k}_{e}\right\}\left(\psi\widetilde{F}_{bb}\right)\right]}$

· Wave scattering coefficient for evanescent bending waves

(27)
$R_{e}=T_{e}=\dfrac{A_{e}^{-}}{A_{a}^{+}}=\dfrac{B_{e}^{+}}{A_{a}^{+}}=\dfrac{2\hat{k}_{e}\hat{k}_{a}\widetilde{F}_{ba}}{\left(2+i\widetilde{F}_{aa}\right)\left[2i\hat{\Gamma}-\left\{\hat{P}-i(\hat{\Gamma}-\hat{P})\hat{k}_{e}\right\}\left(\psi\widetilde{F}_{bb}\right)\right]}$

where

(28)
$\widetilde{F}_{ba}=F_{ba},\: \hat{k}_{a}=\dfrac{k_{a}}{k_{p}}$

If $\widetilde{F}_{ba}$ and $\widetilde{F}_{bb}$ are assumed to be zero, indicating no coupling between axial and bending modes, the resulting wave scattering coefficients will become identical to those obtained considering only pure axial behaviors at the crack, specifically $R_{a}$ and $T_{a}$. The remaining wave scattering coefficients will become zero, as there is no ABC in the pure axial case.

4. Results Validation and Discussion

4.1 Wave Scattering Coefficients for Bending Incident Waves

To confirm the validity of the proposed wave scattering coefficients for bending incident waves, a comparison was conducted with FEM results from Lowe et al. (2002), which provided reflection coefficient values for propagating bending waves induced by bending incident waves considering ABC. The FEM simulations used a two-dimensional domain under the plane strain assumption, and the calculations were performed using the program FINEL (Hitchings, 1994). In their study, the two-dimensional plate had dimensions of 600 mm in length, 200 mm in width, and 3 mm in thickness, with a crack located 400 mm from the left end, as depicted in Fig. 3. Detailed plate specifications, including elastic modulus $(E)$, density $(\rho)$, shear coefficient $(\kappa)$, and Poisson’s ratio $(\nu)$, are listed in Table 1.

Figs. 4(a) and 4(b) present the reflection coefficient comparison with respect to varying crack depth ratios and normalized frequencies, respectively. The reflection and transmission coefficients in which only pure bending behaviors at the crack are accounted for are calculated by using (D1) in Appendix D of Park and Hwang (2022). As shown in Fig. 4(a), for incipient crack depth ratios (0-0.2), the reflection coefficient remains relatively low for all models, with minimal variation among them. With increasing crack depth ratios (0.2-0.4), the reflection coefficient begins to rise, though both the proposed closed-form solutions and the Park and Hwang (2022) model still generally align with FEM results. The proposed closed-form solutions, however, show closer agreement with FEM results than those of Park and Hwang (2022). At deeper crack depth ratios (0.4-0.7), the FEM results rise more rapidly than the proposed closed-form solutions, leading to reduced accuracy. This discrepancy arises from ignoring the shear behavior at the crack, which is essential for capturing complex nonlinearity of the reflection coefficients with crack depth ratio for bending incident waves.

Fig. 4(b) shows that at low normalized frequencies (0-0.3), the proposed closed-form solutions closely match FEM results, with better alignment than the Park and Hwang (2022) model. When normalized frequency increases (0.3-0.6), both FEM and the proposed closed-form solutions show a reduction in the reflection coefficient, with FEM reflecting a sharper decrease. In contrast, the Park and Hwang (2022) model shows a relatively constant increase in the reflection coefficient, demonstrating less sensitivity to frequency changes and failing to capture the sharp decrease seen in FEM results. The proposed closed-form solutions exhibit greater sensitivity to frequency, providing a closer approximation to FEM than the Park and Hwang (2022) model. At higher normalized frequencies (0.6-0.9), FEM results indicate a notable increase in the reflection coefficient, while the proposed closed-form solutions continue to decrease. This reduced sensitivity to higher frequencies in the proposed closed-form solutions is likely due to ignoring the shear behavior at the crack, as previously discussed. Overall, these results indicate that while ABC improves accuracy in wave scattering coefficient predictions for bending incident waves across different crack depths and frequency ranges, considering shear behavior at the crack may be necessary for deeper cracks to ensure reliable results (Lim and Park, 2024).

Fig. 3. Two-Dimensional Plane Strain Plate with Notch Based on Lowe et al. (2002) for Comparison of Wave Scattering Coefficients under Bending Incident Waves

../../Resources/KSCE/Ksce.2025.45.1.0013/fig3.png

Fig. 4. Reflection Coefficients due to Bending Incident Waves ( : Proposed Closed-Form Solutions [Eq. (16a)], : Park and Hwang (2022), o : FEM [Lowe et al. (2002)]). (a) according to Crack Depth Ratio, (b) according to Normalized Frequency

../../Resources/KSCE/Ksce.2025.45.1.0013/fig4.png

Table 1. Plate Specifications Based on Lowe et al. (2002)

$E$ $210 GPa$
$\rho$ $7850 kg/m^{3}$
$\kappa$ $0.86$
$\nu$ $0.3$

4.2 Wave Scattering Coefficients for Axial Incident Waves

A comparison with FEM results was also conducted to validate the proposed wave scattering coefficients for axial incident waves. The FEM results are from Castaings et al. (2002) which provided reflection and transmission coefficients for axial waves induced by axial incident waves. The plate in their investigation was 400 mm long, 100 mm wide, and 8 mm thick, with a crack positioned 250 mm from the left edge, as illustrated in Fig. 5. Table 2 presents the plate’s specific properties, including elastic modulus, density, shear coefficient, and Poisson’s ratio.

In Figs. 6(a) and 6(b), the reflection and transmission coefficient comparison at a normalized frequency of 0.7 are shown with respect to varying crack depth ratios. The reflection and transmission coefficients in which only pure axial behaviors at the crack are accounted for are calculated by using (B5) in Appendix B of Park and Hwang (2022). For incipient crack depth ratios (0-0.2), the reflection and transmission coefficients remain relatively low and high, respectively, all models show relatively low reflection coefficients and high transmission coefficients, with only minor differences among them. As the crack depth ratio rises (0.2-0.5), the reflection coefficient gradually increases while the transmission coefficient decreases, with the FEM results and proposed closed-form solutions remaining in close agreement. The Park and Hwang (2022) model, however, diverges more noticeably, exhibiting a sharper increase in reflection and a more pronounced decrease in transmission as crack depth increases. The proposed closed-form solutions continue to closely match FEM results, while the Park and Hwang (2022) model displays greater sensitivity to crack depth, evidenced by more marked changes in reflection and transmission coefficients. Unlike the bending incident waves case, where shear behavior at the crack significantly impacts the reflection and transmission coefficients, the axial incident waves case is minimally affected by the shear behavior at the crack. Consequently, for axial incident waves, highly accurate predictions can be achieved by considering only the ABC, without needing additional shear behavior considerations.

The comparison suggests that the proposed closed-form solutions provide a more reliable approximation of FEM results than the Park and Hwang (2022) model, especially for higher crack depths. The Park and Hwang (2022) model appears to overestimate changes in both reflection and transmission coefficients at deeper crack depths. In contrast, the proposed closed-form solutions, which consider ABC, offer a more balanced response that aligns with FEM, making them more suitable for practical engineering applications where accuracy across a range of crack depths is crucial.

Fig. 5. Two-Dimensional Plane Strain Plate with Notch Based on Castaings et al. (2002) for Comparison of Wave Scattering Coefficients under Axial Incident Waves

../../Resources/KSCE/Ksce.2025.45.1.0013/fig5.png

Fig. 6. Reflection and Transmission Coefficients due to Axial Incident Waves ( : Proposed Closed-Form Solutions [Eq. (25)], : Park and Hwang (2022), o : FEM [Castaings et al. (2002)]). (a) Reflection Coefficient, (b) Transmission Coefficient

../../Resources/KSCE/Ksce.2025.45.1.0013/fig6.png

Table 2. Plate Specifications Based on Castaings et al. (2002)

$E$ $71.8 GPa$
$\rho$ $2660 kg/m^{3}$
$\kappa$ $0.86$
$\nu$ $0.33$

5. Conclusions and Future Directions

This paper presents closed-form solutions for wave scattering coefficients in Timoshenko beams with edge cracks considering ABC. The proposed model can deal with both axial and bending incident waves and is validated by comparison with FEM results from previous studies. The key findings of this study are summarized as follows:

∙ A significant advancement in wave scattering analysis was achieved by deriving closed-form solutions for the wave scattering coefficients. The proposed closed-form solutions of each incident wave were formulated by applying spectral solutions to a set of six compatibility and equilibrium conditions at the edge crack. The effect of ABC was incorporated by defining mode-converted waves that differ from the original incident waves.

∙ The proposed closed-form solutions provide a broadly applicable model, as demonstrated during validation. Once the material and structural specifications are given, the model can be applied immediately. This highlights the effectiveness of the proposed model in predicting wave scattering coefficients at the edge crack under various conditions.

∙ In comparison to previous studies, the proposed model offers enhanced accuracy and computational efficiency, as it can produce accurate results immediately without requiring extensive resources. This underscores the importance of considering ABC for reliable predictions, rather than relying solely on pure axial or bending behaviors at the crack.

For future studies, exploring the influence of shear behavior in wave scattering analysis could provide valuable insights. Incorporating axial-bending-shear coupling (ABSC) into the model would improve its accuracy and expand its range of applications.

Acknowledgement

This paper has been written by modifying and supplementing the KSCE 2024 CONVENTION paper.

Appendix. Derivation of the Closed-form Solutions for Wave Scattering Coefficients

By substituting Eq. (12) into Eq. (9), the following expression is obtained:

(A1)
$-\left(2+i\widetilde{F}_{aa}\right)A_{a}^{-}+\hat{P}\widetilde{F}_{ab}A_{p}^{+}+\hat{P}\widetilde{F}_{ab}A_{p}^{-}-\hat{N}\hat{k}_{e}^{2}\widetilde{F}_{ab}A_{e}^{-}=0$

where $\hat{N}=1+\dfrac{\hat{k}_{q}^{2}}{\hat{k}_{e}^{2}}$.

By substituting Eq. (11) or Eq. (13) into Eq. (10), the following expression is obtained:

(A2)
$ -ik_{a}\widetilde{F}_{ba}A_{a}^{-}+\hat{P}k_{p}\widetilde{F}_{bb}A_{p}^{+}+\hat{P}k_{p}\left(\widetilde{F}_{bb}-2i\right)A_{p}^{-}\\\\ -\hat{N}\hat{k}_{e}k_{p}\left(2+\hat{k}_{e}\widetilde{F}_{bb}\right)A_{e}^{-}=0 $

By substituting Eq. (11) or Eq. (13) into Eq. (14), the reflected evanescent bending waves can be expressed as follows:

(A3)
$A_{e}^{-}=-i\hat{k}_{e}A_{p}^{-}$

By substituting Eq. (A3) into Eq. (A1), the reflected propagating bending waves can be expressed as follows:

(A4)
$A_{p}^{-}=\dfrac{\left(2+i\widetilde{F}_{aa}\right)}{\left(\hat{P}+i\hat{N}\hat{k}_{e}^{3}\right)\widetilde{F}_{ab}}A_{a}^{-}-\dfrac{\hat{P}}{\left(\hat{P}+i\hat{N}\hat{k}_{e}^{3}\right)}A_{p}^{+}$

By substituting Eq. (A3) into Eq. (A2), the following expression is obtained:

(A5)
$ -ik_{a}\widetilde{F}_{ba}A_{a}^{-}+k_{p}\hat{P}\hat{F}_{bb}A_{p}^{+}\\ \\ +k_{p}\left\{-2i\hat{P}+2i\hat{N}\hat{k}_{e}^{2}+\hat{P}\widetilde{F}_{bb}+i\hat{N}\hat{k}_{e}^{3}\widetilde{F}_{bb}\right\}A_{p}^{-}=0 $

By substituting Eq. (A4) into Eq. (A5), the following expression is obtained:

(A6)
$\left[-2i\hat{\Gamma}+\left\{\hat{P}-i(\hat{\Gamma}-\hat{P})\hat{k}_{e}\right\}\left(\psi\widetilde{F}_{bb}\right)\right]A_{a}^{-}+\dfrac{2i\hat{P}\hat{\Gamma}\widetilde{F}_{ab}}{\left(2+i\hat{F}_{aa}\right)}A_{p}^{+}=0$

The axial reflection coefficient can be obtained by rearranging Eq. (A6), as shown in Eq. (15a). The derivations for the other closed-form solutions are similar, and the mathematical manipulations are omitted here due to space constraints.

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