A computationally efficient numerical method is developed for the prediction of transient response phenomena in composite structures including guided wave propagation and impact. The method takes advantage of the outstanding properties of compactly supported Daubechies wavelet scaling functions and their capability to provide global-local spatial approximations of displacements in specified finite domains of the structure, hence is termed Finite Wavelet Domain method. The theoretical background and numerical formulation are summarized. Its advantages are outlined, including the capability to provide consistent diagonal mass matrices. Formulations for the simulation of impact events and active guided wave generation are presented. Numerical results are shown for two distinct cases of transient dynamic problems: anti-symmetric and symmetric straight-crested wave (S and A ) propagation in composite plate structures generated by piezoelectric actuators; and simulation of impact events and impact detection. Comparisons against traditional finite elements quantify the benefits in computational time, convergence rate and accuracy of the new method.
doi: 10.12783/SHM2015/222