Dynamic Stresses Around Elliptical Discontinuities

Abstract

The influence of an elliptical discontinuity on the stress distribution in an otherwise uninterrupted and unbounded elastic medium subjected to the passage of both P- and SV-waves is examined. The elliptical scatterer is either empty or filled with a rigid and infinitely dense material. Ratios of the maximum stresses on the elliptical scatterer boundary to the maximum stress of the incident wave are computed to demonstrate the effect of dynamic stress concentrations. Results are presented which show the influence on the stresses of the ellipse eccentricity, the normalized wave number as well as the ratio of nondimensional source distance to wavelength.