STUDY OF RAYLEIGH WAVES PROPAGATION IN PRE-STRESSED ANISOTROPIC LAYER OVERLYING A SANDY HALF-SPACE

This study investigates the influence of initial stress on the phase velocity and damping velocity of Rayleigh-type waves propagating in an anisotropic layer situated above a dry sandy half-space. The study employs the separation of variables method to determine displacement components for both the layer and half-space. By applying boundary conditions, the dispersion relation governing the propagation of Rayleigh-type waves is derived and analyzed across various scenarios. The validity of the mathematical model is confirmed by its ability to simplify the existing velocity wave equation for Rayleigh waves. Numerical computations are conducted using MATHEMATICA software to further explore the investigation, and the findings are visually represented through graphical illustrations. The study underscores the significant impact of initial stress, layer thickness, and sandiness parameters on the phase and damping velocities of Rayleigh waves, where increased initial stress accelerates wave propagation, thicker layers decelerate it, and higher sandiness values foster faster waves. The outcomes of this study not only deepen our comprehension of seismic wave propagation but also bear practical implications in the domains of earthquake engineering and geophysics.