Propagation and dissipation of elasto-plastic stress waves in two dimensional ordered granular media

•Elasto-plastic wave propagation in a 2D ordered granular system is modeled using the molecular dynamics simulator LAMMPS.•The elasto-plastic wave front is comparable to the elastic wave front in 2D square and hexagonal packings.•The main contrast with the elastic case is significant wave attenuation due to plastic dissipation at the granule contacts.•Experiments and simulations indicate diameter tolerance causes scatter in granule contact force and wave transit time.