Ground vibrations due to a rectangular harmonic load

The transmission of vibrations in the vicinity of a rectangular harmonic vertical load, acting on a damped elastic layer overlying a damped elastic half-space of different material, is investigated theoretically, by using a semi-analytical approach. The solution involves a double Fourier transform with respect to two of the space variables of Navier's elastodynamic equations. The inverse double Fourier transform is achieved with the FFT algorithm. Results presented include transformed displacements in the wavenumber domain, actual displacements in the near field of the load, and the direct receptance at the load. Comparisons are made with results for a half-space and a layer over a rigid foundation, and with some experimental results. (C) 1998 Academic Press Limited.