Non-linear reflection of a plane wave in an elastic medium

Exact formulae are derived for the reflected and refracted waves which occur for the inclined incidence of a plane horizontally polarized transverse wave of arbitrary profile on a horizontal interface between two elastic half-spaces experiencing non-linear friction when they move with respect to one another. A smooth function of general form is adopted as the friction function, which depends on the difference between the horizontal velocities of the elements of the boundaries of the half-spaces considered. It is shown that if the friction function depends non-monotonically on the relative velocity of displacement of the sides of a slit, then even when the profile of the incident wave is smooth, the reflected and refracted waves may contain strong discontinuities.