Transient wave propagation in a transversely isotropic piezoelectric half-space (Q1584709)

This is an improved systematic analysis of transient response of piezoelectric materials. Up to now, the description of piezoelectrics was usually made by employing the so-called quasistatic approach where the equation for electric charge becomes elliptic; therefore, there was no possibility to examine the dynamic behaviour. Here, the author modifies the quasistatic description by including some new terms, thus introducing the so-called quasihyperbolic approximation. This new approach is used to analyze an important practical problem: a transversely isotropic material (class 6mm) occupies a half-space, and is in contact with an elastic isotropic material filling the other half-space. In such a formulation, the governing equations are drastically simplified. Some particular cases are discussed; in particular, the analysis reveals the production of Bleustein-Gulyaev waves, electroacoustic head wave, and purely electric wave.