Propagation of plane waves in an unbounded elastic medium with Cauchy's initial stress

Abstract

Cauchy theory of initial stress has been applied to investigate the influence of uniform initial stress on the propagation of plane waves in an unbounded elastic medium. It is found that if the initial principal stresses are unequal, the velocity depends on the direction in which the wave propagates, whereas when the initial principal stresses are equal, the velocity is independent of the direction of wave propagation.