Paper 2, Section II, 38A

Waves | Part II, 2010

The equation of motion for small displacements u(x,t)\mathbf{u}(\mathbf{x}, t) in a homogeneous, isotropic, elastic medium of density ρ\rho is

ρ∂2u∂t2=(λ+μ)∇(∇⋅u)+μ∇2u\rho \frac{\partial^{2} \mathbf{u}}{\partial t^{2}}=(\lambda+\mu) \boldsymbol{\nabla}(\boldsymbol{\nabla} \cdot \mathbf{u})+\mu \nabla^{2} \mathbf{u}

where λ\lambda and μ\mu are the Lamé constants. Show that the dilatation ∇⋅u\nabla \cdot \mathbf{u} and rotation ∇∧u\nabla \wedge \mathbf{u} each satisfy wave equations, and determine the corresponding wave speeds cPc_{P} and cSc_{S}.

Show also that a solution of the form u=Aexp⁡[i(k⋅x−ωt)]\mathbf{u}=\mathbf{A} \exp [i(\mathbf{k} \cdot \mathbf{x}-\omega t)] satisfies

ω2A=cP2k(k⋅A)−cS2k∧(k∧A)\omega^{2} \mathbf{A}=c_{P}^{2} \mathbf{k}(\mathbf{k} \cdot \mathbf{A})-c_{S}^{2} \mathbf{k} \wedge(\mathbf{k} \wedge \mathbf{A})

Deduce the dispersion relation and the direction of polarization relative to k\mathbf{k} for plane harmonic PP-waves and plane harmonic SS-waves.

Now suppose the medium occupies the half-space z⩽0z \leqslant 0 and that the boundary z=0z=0 is stress free. Show that it is possible to find a self-sustained combination of evanescent PP-waves and SVS V-waves (i.e. a Rayleigh wave), proportional to exp [ik(x−ct)][i k(x-c t)] and propagating along the boundary, provided the wavespeed cc satisfies

(2−c2cS2)2=4(1−c2cS2)1/2(1−c2cP2)1/2\left(2-\frac{c^{2}}{c_{S}^{2}}\right)^{2}=4\left(1-\frac{c^{2}}{c_{S}^{2}}\right)^{1 / 2}\left(1-\frac{c^{2}}{c_{P}^{2}}\right)^{1 / 2}

[You are not required to show that this equation has a solution.]

Typos? Please submit corrections to this page on GitHub.