Surface waves in an elastic half-space with voids (Q1082112)

Surface waves of general type propagating in a plane-faced, homogeneous and isotropic linear elastic halfspace containing a distribution of vacuous pores (voids) are studied. Assuming that the face of the halfspace is free of external loads, it is found that the motion is not necessarily two-dimensional and that all physical variables associated with the waves are derivable from a single scalar function. The phase speed equation reveals that, unlike in the classical problem, the waves are dispersive, in general. If the frequency is very small, the motion is qualitatively similar to that in the classical problem, but the wave speed is modified due to the presence of voids.