Seismic surface waves in a pre-stressed imperfectly bonded covered half-space

Propagation of the generalized Rayleigh waves in an elastic half-space covered by an elastic layer for different initial stress combinations and imperfect contact conditions is investigated. Three-dimensional linearized theory of elastic waves in initially stressed bodies in plane-strain state is employed, the corresponding dispersion equation is derived and an algorithm is developed for numerical solution to this equation. Numerical results on the influence of the initial stress patterns and on the influence of the contact conditions are presented and discussed. The case where the external forces are \"follower forces\" is considered as well. These investigations provide some theoretical foundations for the study of the near-surface waves propagating in layered mechanical systems and can be successfully used for estimation of the degree of the bonded defects between layers, fault characteristics and study of the behavior of seismic surface waves propagating under the bottom of the oceans.