Dynamic response of a moving load on a micropolar half-space with irregularity

Abstract

Due to its ability to explain size effects on a small length scale by considering additional degrees of freedom, micropolar theory is preferred for describing media with complex microstructures such as soil, composite materials, granular and powder-like materials, masonry, bones, and liquid crystals. In this study, a theoretical model is presented to investigate the response of a moving load on a micropolar half-space with irregularity. We obtain the closed-form expressions for normal stress, shear stress, and tangential couple stress. The effects of friction, microstructure, and irregularity in the medium are studied by introducing the frictional coefficient (R), coupling factor (N), and irregularity factor (x/a). We discuss the effects of varying the half-space depth and irregularity on the stresses. Two different cases of irregularity are compared, i.e., rectangular and parabolic.