Rayleigh-type waves in a water-saturated porous half-space with an elastic plate on its surface

The paper deals with the plane problem of steady-state time harmonic vibrations of an infinite elastic plate resting on a water-saturated porous solid. The displacements of the plate are described by means of the linear theory of small elastic oscillations. The motion of the two-phase medium is studied within the framework of Biot's linear theory of consolidation. The main interest is focused on the investigation of properties of the Rayleigh-type waves propagating alongside of the contact surface between the plate and the porous half-space. In particular, the dependence of the phase velocity and attenuation of the waves on the plate stiffness, mass coupling coefficient, and degree of saturation of the medium is studied. Besides, for the limiting case of an infinitely thin plate, the comparison of the wave characteristics is carried out with those of the pure Rayleigh waves.