Abstract

The analysis of high-frequency wave propagation in arbitrarily shaped waveguides requires specific numerical methods. A widely spread technique is the so-called semi-analytical finite element (SAFE) formulation. This formulation enables to account for the translational invariance of waveguide problems and leads to a two-dimensional modal problem reduced on the cross-section. Despite this, solving the problem can still be computationally demanding. In order to further reduce the size of the modal problem, this paper presents a SAFE method for waveguides of rotationally symmetric cross-sections. Such structures are encountered in many applications. Typical examples are bars of circular cross-section, regular polygons, and multiwire cables. Numerical results show that the the computational effort required for solving the SAFE modal problem is tremendously reduced by accounting for rotational symmetry.

“This work was carried out within the framework of the WEAMEC, West Atlantic Marine Energy Community, and with funding from the Pays de la Loire Region”