The increasing use of layered materials in various modern industries demands effective non-destructive testing methods. Guided wave testing is a promising solution, but accurate dispersion curves are essential for its reliable implementation. These curves are crucial for the appropriate selection of testing parameters and for the reliable interpretation of inspection results. This study, therefore, aims to develop and verify a computationally efficient and versatile tool for calculating dispersion curves in multilayered media. We propose an approach based on the semi-analytical finite element (SAFE) method implemented in COMSOL Multiphysics 6.2. This approach employs commercial finite element software capabilities, including optimized solvers and the ability to handle complex material properties (e.g., layer anisotropy) and geometries, thus avoiding the need for specialized code. We present the theoretical background and implementation details of the proposed approach in COMSOL Multiphysics. The calculated dispersion curves show excellent agreement with those obtained from the established software Dispersion Calculator 3.1, with a relative error of no more than 0.001%. These results confirm the applicability of the developed SAFE implementation for calculating dispersion characteristics of multilayered structures and support its use in developing novel guided wave ultrasonic testing techniques for multilayered composite materials.
Dolmatov et al. (Sun,) studied this question.