Using an exact Mie scattering solution, this paper investigates the mode conversions during the Mie scattering of a single bi- or one-component sphere in unbounded epoxy. Then the formation mechanism of the first complete gap in the corresponding tri- or bi-component phononic crystal is investigated by the multiple-scattering method. It is shown that the heavy density of the scatterer plays an essential role in the Mie resonance and the formation of the gaps for both types of the phononic crystals. For the tri-component phononic crystal, the gap is mainly induced by the Mie resonance of the single scatterer. For the bi-component phononic crystal, the transverse wave （by mode-conversion during the Mie scattering under a longitudinal wave incidence） is modulated by the periodicity and governed by the Bloch theory, which induces the gap cooperatively.
The propagation of coupled flexural-torsional vibration in the periodic beam including warping effect is investigated with the transfer matrix theory. The band structures of the periodic beam, both including warping effect and ignoring warping effect, are obtained. The frequency response function of the finite periodic beams is simulated with finite element method, which shows large vibration attenuation in the frequency range of the gap as expected. The effect of warping stiffness on the band structure is studied and it is concluded that substantial error can be produced in high frequency range if the effect is ignored. The result including warping effect agrees quite well with the simulated result.
The low-frequency band gap and the corresponding vibration modes in two-dimensional ternary locally resonant phononic crystals are restudied successfully with the lumped-mass method. Compared with the work of C. Goffaux and J. Sánchez-Dehesa （Phys. Rev. B 67 14 4301（2003））, it is shown that there exists an error of about 50% in their calculated results of the band structure, and one band is missing in their results. Moreover, the in-plane modes shown in their paper are improper, which results in the wrong conclusion on the mechanism of the ternary locally resonant phononic crystals. Based on the lumped-mass method and better description of the vibration modes according to the band gaps, the locally resonant mechanism in forming the subfrequency gaps is thoroughly analysed. The rule used to judge whether a resonant mode in the phononic crystals can result in a corresponding subfrequency gap is also verified in this ternary case.
Based on a better understanding of the lattice vibration modes, two simple spring-mass models are constructed in order to evaluate the frequencies on both the lower and upper edges of the lowest locally resonant band gaps of the ternary locally resonant phononic crystals. The parameters of the models are given in a reasonable way based on the physical insight into the band gap mechanism. Both the lumped-mass methods and our models are used in the study of the influences of structural and the material parameters on frequencies on both edges of the lowest gaps in the ternary locally resonant phononic crystals. The analytical evaluations with our models and the theoretical predictions with the lumped-mass method are in good agreement with each other. The newly proposed heuristic models are helpful for a better understanding of the locally resonant band gap mechanism, as well as more accurate evaluation of the band edge frequencies.
