Elastic Wave Propagation in Lattice Metamaterials with Koch Fractal

In this study, the wave propagation properties of lattice metamaterials with Koch fractal structures are investigated in terms of band structures and directional wave propagation. The analytical models of lattice metamaterials are established using the finite element method, and the dispersion relation is solved using the Bloch’s theorem. The band structures of the lattice metamaterials with different numbers of iterations are studied, and the group velocities at a selected frequency are calculated to analyze the directional wave propagation characteristics. Furthermore, dynamic responses of the finite structures are calculated using commercial finite element software to verify the band gaps and directional wave propagation behaviors in the lattice metamaterials. The results show that multiple and low band gaps are present in the lattice materials with various geometric parameters of the Koch fractal, and the position of the lowest band gap decreases as the number of iterations increases. The results indicate the potential applications of lattice metamaterials with Koch fractals for vibration isolation and multi-functional design.