An Improved Method for Measuring Acoustic Attenuation in Viscoelastic Solid Media

Accurate measurement of attenuation during acoustic wave propagation in viscoelastic solid media is of theoretical and practical significance. Conventional studies primarily rely on analogies to models of electromagnetic wave attenuation in non-ideal media. Many modern models of acoustic attenuation rely on continuum mechanics and complex material properties. Although there are similarities between acoustic and electromagnetic waves, conventional models overlook their fundamental physical differences and neglect the influence of particle-vibration damping in viscoelastic media. Additionally, in applications with a single-transmitter and dual-receiver configuration, the effects of specific characteristics on the measurement of the acoustic attenuation coefficient are eliminated in both the electric–acoustic conversion of the transmitting transducer and the acoustic–electric conversion of the receiving transducer. The discrepancies in geometric parameters (size and shape) between the two measurement modules lead to inconsistent frequency responses, thereby introducing measurement errors in acoustic attenuation. To address these issues, we investigate the coupling mechanism between particle vibration damping and wave propagation attenuation, derive an analytical expression for the acoustic attenuation coefficient that accounts for this coupling, and propose a new method for accurately measuring acoustic attenuation in viscoelastic solid media. The experimental results validate the theoretical predictions of acoustic attenuation.