  The analysis of wave propagation problems in linear damped media must take
into account both propagation features and attenuation process. To perform
accurate numerical investigations by the finite differences or finite element
method, one must consider a specific problem known as the numerical dispersion
of waves. Numerical dispersion may increase the numerical error during the
propagation process as the wave velocity (phase and group) depends on the
features of the numerical model. In this paper, the numerical modelling of wave
propagation by the finite element method is thus analyzed and dis-cussed for
linear constitutive laws. Numerical dispersion is analyzed herein through 1D
computations investigating the accuracy of higher order 15-node finite elements
towards numerical dispersion. Concerning the numerical analy-sis of wave
attenuation, a rheological interpretation of the classical Rayleigh assumption
has for instance been previously proposed in this journal.
