Low-and high-frequency Stoneley waves, reflection and transmission at a Cauchy/relaxed micromorphic interface

Abstract: In this paper we study the reflective properties of a 2D interface separating a homogeneous solid from a band-gap metamaterial by modeling it as an interface between a classical Cauchy continuum and a relaxed micromorphic medium. We show that the proposed model is able to predict the onset of Stoneley interface waves at the considered interface both at low and high-frequency regimes. More precisely, critical angles for the incident wave can be identified, beyond which classical Stoneley waves, as well as microstructure-related Stoneley waves appear. We show that this onset of Stoneley waves, both at low and high frequencies, strongly depends on the relative mechanical properties of the two media. We suggest that a suitable tailoring of the relative stiffnesses of the two media can be used to conceive 'smart interfaces' giving rise to wide frequency bounds where total reflection or total transmission may occur.