9413304 Hamilton This research will investigate theoretically and experimentally nonlinear effects in laser generated Rayleigh and Lamb waves. A comprehensive theoretical model for nonlinear Rayleigh wave propagation in an isotropic elastic solid will be developed. The general theoretical approach will be extended to include Lamb waves in plates. A main focus of the study is identification and description of effects that can be exploited in nondestructive testing, for example, determination of the third-order elastic constants that describe nonlinear effects in isotropic solids. In parallel with this work, experiments will be carried out using laser-generated nonlinear Rayleigh and Lamb waves at the General Physics Institute of Moscow. ***
