Model anisotropic materials with ellipsoidal wave surfaces and their application to determination of elastic constants by acoustical methods.

A new class of elastic materials with orthorhombic symmetry is introduced. For such materials, group velocity surfaces of quasi-longitudinal waves have ellipsoidal shapes. Relations between elastic constants that guaranty ellipsoidal shapes of the group velocity surfaces are indicated. The model materials are used for approximate determination of effective elastic constants of heterogeneous materials by acoustical methods. Examples of reconstruction of elastic constants from acoustical data are presented, and possible errors of the reconstructions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]