Green functions for a compressible linearly non homogeneous half-space

Summary The paper presents a study of time-harmonic vibration of a half-space possessing a shear modulus linearly increasing with depth. Completing the previous paper 1], where the time-harmonic vibration of an incompressible half-space has been considered, the problem is now solved for a compressible as well as an incompressible material. The half-space is subjected to a vertical or horizontal surface load. The solution is represented in terms of Fourier-Bessel integrals containing functions of depth coordinate that are expressed through confluent hypergeometric functions. Numerical results concerning surface displacements due to a point force are given for a wide range of frequency variations and degree of non-homogeneity. The results show that, as compared to the homogeneous case, non-homogeneity can considerably increase vibration amplitudes at large distances from the applied force. Received 19 August 1996; accepted for publication 16, December 1996