A spherical wave in a viscoelastic half-space

Abstract

The propagation of spherical waves in an isotropie elastic medium has been studied sufficiently completely (see, e.g., [1–4]). it is proved [5, 6] that in imperfect solid media, the formation and propagation of waves similar to waves in elastic media are possible. With the use of asymptotic transform inversion methods in [7] a problem of an internal point source in a viscoelastic medium was investigated. The problem of an explosion in rocks in a half-space was considered in [8]. A numerical Laplace transform inversion, proposed by Bellman, is presented in [9] for the study of the action of an explosive pulse on the surface of a spherical cavity in a viscoelastic medium of Voigt type. In the present study we investigate the propagation of a spherical wave formed from the action of a pulsed load on the internal surface of a spherical cavity in a viscoelastic half-space. The potentials of the waves propagating in the medium are constructed in the form of series in special functions. In order to realize viscoelasticity we use a correspondence method [10]. The transform inversion is carried out by means of a representation of the potentials in integral form and subsequent use of asymptotic methods for their calculation. Thus, it becomes possible to investigate the behavior of a medium near the wave fronts. The radial stress is calculated on the surface of the cavity.