B2.26

Waves in Fluid and Solid Media
Part II, 2004

The linearised equation of motion governing small disturbances in a homogeneous elastic medium of density ρ\rho is

ρ2ut2=(λ+μ)(u)+μ2u\rho \frac{\partial^{2} \mathbf{u}}{\partial t^{2}}=(\lambda+\mu) \boldsymbol{\nabla}(\boldsymbol{\nabla} \cdot \mathbf{u})+\mu \nabla^{2} \mathbf{u}

where u(x,t)\mathbf{u}(\mathbf{x}, t) is the displacement, and λ\lambda and μ\mu are the Lamé constants. Derive solutions for plane longitudinal waves PP with wavespeed cPc_{P}, and plane shear waves SS with wavespeed cSc_{S}.

The half-space y<0y<0 is filled with the elastic solid described above, while the slab 0<y<h0<y<h is filled with an elastic solid with shear modulus μˉ\bar{\mu}, and wavespeeds cˉP\bar{c}_{P} and cˉS\bar{c}_{S}. There is a vacuum in y>hy>h. A harmonic plane SHS H wave of frequency ω\omega and unit amplitude propagates from y<0y<0 towards the interface y=0y=0. The wavevector is in the xyx y-plane, and makes an angle θ\theta with the yy-axis. Derive the complex amplitude, RR, of the reflected SHS H wave in y<0y<0. Evaluate R|R| for all possible values of cˉS/cS\bar{c}_{S} / c_{S}, and explain your answer.