Love wave propagation in a heterogeneous orthotropic layer under initial stress lying over an inhomogeneous half-space

Abstract

The present research work elucidates the characteristics of Love waves propagating through a prestressed non-homogeneous orthotropic medium overlying a heterogeneous half-space. It has been considered here that the properties of the layer vary in the direction of thickness with the help of suitable boundary conditions. The dispersion relation has been obtained by variable separable method. A special case has been undertaken in which due to homogeneity of half-space and layer, the dispersion relation satisfies the classical equation of Love waves. To show the nature of Love waves, dispersion curves have been plotted by taking variation in initial stress and inhomogeneities of layer and half-space. This problem may find its applications in various geophysical prospects.