Elastic response of transversely isotropic and non-homogeneous geomaterials under circular ring concentrated and axisymmetric distributed loads

Abstract

This paper first develops the closed-form solution of a layered halfspace subject to circular ring concentrated loads. The layered halfspace consists of finite layers and a lower halfspace. All the layers in the layered halfspace are homogeneous and transversely isotropic. Integral transform techniques are utilized to derive the solution in cylindrical polar coordinates. Then, the closed-form solution is used to develop the numerical method of axisymmetric distributed loads over circular areas. The numerical method involves integration along the radius direction and discretization of a loading circular area into one-dimensional elements. Finally, the elastic responses of non-homogeneous geomaterial halfspaces under axisymmetric distributed loads over circular areas are analyzed in detail.