Acta Mechanica Solida Sinica, Vol. 20, No.

3, September, 2007 ISSN 0894-9166

Published by AMSS Press, Wuhan, China. DOI: 10.1007/s10338-007-0730-0

EXACT SOLUTION FOR A TWO-DIMENSIONAL

LAMB’S PROBLEM DUE TO A STRIP IMPULSE
LOADING 

Liu Guangyu Liu Kaixin

( LTCS and Department of Mechanics & Aerospace Engineering, College of Engineering,
Peking University, Beijing 100871, China)

Received 22 December 2006, revision received 31 August 2007

ABSTRACT By applying the integral transform method and the inverse transformation technique
based upon the two types of integration, the present paper has successfully obtained an exact
algebraic solution for a two-dimensional Lamb’s problem due to a strip impulse loading for the
first time. With the algebraic result, the excitation and propagation processes of stress waves,
including the longitudinal wave, the transverse wave, and Rayleigh-wave, are discussed in detail.
A few new conclusions have been drawn from currently available integral results or computational
results.

KEY WORDS Lamb’s problem, exact solution, integral transform, strip impulse loading, excita-
tion and propagation of elastic waves

I. INTRODUCTION
Since the initiating work of Lamb[1] , many researchers have been known to devote themselves to
exploring analytical solutions for the problems of instant wave propagation in elastic half-space subjected
to impulsive loadings (these problems are called Lamb’s problems currently). In the 1930s, Cagniard[2]
developed Lamb’s formulation into a general method for applying Fourier transform on the spatial
variables and Laplace transform on the time variable. The operation of the two integrals in sequence
then became the identity operation with no need of integration . Further modifications were provided by
de Hoop[3] later so that it is usually referred to as Cagniard-de Hoop method. This method was adopted
by Pekeris[4] and Chao[5] to obtain analytical solutions with vertical and plane loadings, respectively.
Johnson[6] also applied Cagniard-de Hoop method to present a solution to the Lamb’s problem of point-
source, with a derivative form (derivative of Green function) about the origin and observed points. These
analytical solutions were convenient for numerical analysis. Analysis on Lamb’s problems with point
source was further developed by Lapwood, Dix[7] , Pinney[8] , Pekeris and Lifson[9, 10] , Aggarwal and
Ablow[11] etc. In 1983, Wang and Wang[12] deduced expressions for the surface displacement of the
half-space subjected to a vertical point impact. Based on the fundamental solution in the complete
space, Zheng[13] deduced the fundamental solutions of elastic half-space exerting the superposition
principle, also for the point source case. However, algebraic-form exact solutions are seldom, if ever,
found[2, 3, 9, 12, 14] , because of mathematical difficulties. Moreover, infinite values were usually introduced
into those solutions, because the problems were investigated with the load acting on a point or an infinite
line or varying with time as a Dirac function.
 Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.10572002).
 Vol. 20, No. 3 Liu Guangyu et al.: Two-dimensional Lamb’s Problem due to a Strip Impulse Loading · 259 ·

In view of the fact that a finite load acting on a finite pressure-area would represent the physical state
more practically, the present paper investigates a two-dimensional Lamb’s problem due to an impact
loading acting on a finite strip area of the surface. The impact loading varies with time as a Heaviside
function, with unloading counted in. Takemiya et al.[15] employed the Green function method to obtain
an analytical result with integral expressions. And a problem still remains since numerical integration
will bring error to the result in the end. In addition, computation is inadvisable for this problem because
there are discontinuities of the derivatives which often introduce violent vibration or large errors into
the computing process. The authors have obtained an exact algebraic solution for the surface stress
of this problem for the first time using the integral transform method and the corresponding inverse
transformation technique based upon the two types of integration. The piecewise expressions of the
solution provide the information about all stress wave components to the corresponding branch points
or singular points, so that the information is directly presented. Based on the resulting expressions, the
excitation and propagation processes of stress waves, including the longitudinal wave, the transverse
wave, and Rayleigh wave, are discussed in detail and shown by graphs, followed by some new conclusions
never before drawn from those integral results or computational results of this problem.

II. BASIC FORMULATIONS

In the Cartesian coordinate system (x, y), considering a plane stress problem in two-dimensional
half-space −∞ < x < ∞, y ≥ 0. A vertical loading acts on the free edge y = 0, and is distributed
equally from (−a, 0) to (a, 0). For the symmetry with respect to y-axis, the analysis can be restricted
to x ≥ 0, as well as y ≥ 0. Then, the relevant wave field is governed by the following motion equations
under the prescribed initial and boundary conditions:
   
2 1 ∂2 2 1 ∂2
∇ − 2 2 ϕ = 0, ∇ − 2 2 ψ=0 (1)
cl ∂t ct ∂t
∂ϕ ∂ψ
ϕ= = 0, ψ= =0 (t = 0) (2)
∂t ∂t
∂ϕ
lim (ϕ, ψ, , etc.) = 0 (0 ≤ x, t > 0) (3)
y→∞ ∂x
σy = −P0 H(a − x)H(t0 − t), τxy = 0 (y = 0) (4)
where σx , σy and τxy are the stress components, ϕ and ψ are the Lamé potential functions, H is the
Heaviside unit function, x and t are the spatial and time variables, respectively, t0 the loading time, a
the half length of the loading strip, and P0 the magnitude of the loading. cl and ct are the speeds of
longitudinal and transverse waves, μ and ν the elastic constant and the Poisson’s ratio of the medium,
respectively. According to Hooke’s law, the stress components σx , σy and τxy are related to the strains,
represented with the derivatives of the Lamé potentials ϕ and ψ, as follows
σx ∂2ϕ ν ∂2ψ
= + ∇2 ϕ +
2μ ∂x2 1−ν ∂x∂y
σy ∂2ϕ ν ∂2ψ
= + ∇2 ϕ − (5)
2μ ∂y 2 1 −ν ∂x∂y
τxy ∂2ϕ 1 ∂2ψ ∂2ψ
= + −
2μ ∂x∂y 2 ∂y 2 ∂x2

III. ANALYTIC SOLUTION

Application of the Laplace transform (denoted by an over-bar) with parameter s over time t leads
Eqs.(1) to the following two ordinary differential equations
 2
2 s
∇ ϕ= ϕ
c
 l 2 (6)
s
∇2 ψ = ψ
ct
 · 260 · ACTA MECHANICA SOLIDA SINICA 2007

Equations (6) have general solutions as follows,

∞   
2μϕ = 0 A(ξ, s) cos(ξx) × exp −y ξ 2 + (s/cl )2 dξ
∞    (7)
2μψ = 0 B(ξ, s) sin(ξx) × exp −y ξ 2 + (s/ct )2 dξ
Associating with the Laplace transform performed on the boundary condition Eqs.(4) and(5) un-
knowns A and B in Eqs.(7) could be worked out. Then the expressions of stresses in x-t domain could
follow from the inverse transformation, and would be solved by solving the contour integrations ac-
cording to the residue theorem. As illustrated in Fig.1, in the complex ξ-plane (let s = cs ξη), there are
branch-cuts at η = ±i and η = ±i/κ, and single poles at η = 0 and η = ±iηR , where ±ηR are real roots
of the Rayleigh equation η 6 − 8η 4 + 8(3 − 2κ2 )η 2 − 16(1 − κ2 ) = 0.

Fig. 1. Contour integrations in the ξ-plane.

Here, for space reasons, only the case at the free edge (y = 0) is given as follows:

σx
= Γ1 + Γ2 + Γ3 (8)
P0
σy
= −H(a − x)H(t0 − t) (9)
P0
τxy
=0 (10)
P0
where

−1 (0 ≤ x < a)
Γ1 = −H(a − x) = (11)
0 (x > a)
∞
2 sin(ξ a) cos(ξ x)
Γ2 = R0 × {cos(ct ηR tξ) − cos[ct ηR (t − t0 )ξ]}dξ (12)
π 0 ξ
1 
1/κ (1 − α2 ) (α2 − 1)(1 − κ2 α2 )
16(1 + ν) 2
Γ3 = ×
π 1 α6 − 8α4 + 8(3 − 2κ2 )α2 − 16(1 − κ2 )
 ∞

2 sin(ξ a) cos(ξ x) dα
× {cos(ct αtξ) − cos[ct α(t − t0 )ξ]}dξ (13)
π 0 ξ α
 Vol. 20, No. 3 Liu Guangyu et al.: Two-dimensional Lamb’s Problem due to a Strip Impulse Loading · 261 ·

In the expression (12), there is

 
1 2  ν 2 2
1 − ηR 1 + ηR − (1 − ηR )(1 − κ2 ηR
2
)
2 2
R0 = −2 ×    
1 − κ2 ηR2 1 − ηR2
2 2 2
ηR 2 − ηR −  2
− κ 
2
1 − ηR 1 − κ2 ηR
Γ1 is contributed by the pole η = 0 which represents the loading area. Γ2 is contributed by poles
η = ±iηR which characterizes Rayleigh wave whereas Γ3 corresponds to the integration along branch
cuts which contains information about longitudinal wave and transverse wave.
There is an available integration formula as follows, which plays an important role in solving the
two similar integrals in Eqs.(12) and (13),
⎧
⎪ 0 (0 < a < |x − b|)
∞ ⎪
⎨
2 sin(ξa) cos(ξx) cos(ξb)
dξ = 1 (|x − b| < a < x + b) (14)
π ξ ⎪
⎪
0 ⎩2
1 (x + b < a)

With b = ct ηR t or b = ct ηR (t−t0 ) in formula (14), Γ2 can be expressed definitely in a closed piecewise

function form. Discontinuities arise at the connection points of intervals of the piecewise function, where
the Rayleigh wave fronts arrive. While with b = ct αt or b = ct α(t − t0 ) in formula (14), Γ3 can be
further calculated. There are discontinuities, which depend on α and arise at the piecewise connection
points, where the longitudinal wave and transverse wave fronts arrive.
Up to now, it is only the integral about the variable α in Γ3 that is left to be solved. Denote
 
1 
1 − α2 (α2 − 1)(1 − κ2 α2 )
2 dα
Ω= (15)
α6 − 8α4 + 8(3 − 2κ2 )α2 − 16(1 − κ2 ) α

and let β = 1/α, then

1
β2 −  
Ω= 2 · β 1 − β 2 β 2 − κ2 dβ (16)
2 2 4 2
1 − 8β + 8(3 − 2κ )β − 16(1 − κ )β 6

The equation 1 − 8β 2 + 8(3 − 2κ2 )β 4 − 16(1 − κ2 )β 6 = 0 is a third-order polynomial about β 2 and has
a real root β 2 = γ 2 , where γ = 1/ηR . Supposing the other two calculable roots β 2 = p and β 2 = q,
there is a decomposition

1  
β2 − 1 a1 a2 a3
2 = + + (17)
1 − 8β 2 + 8(3 − 2κ2 )β 4 − 16(1 − κ2 )β 6 16(κ2 − 1) β 2 − γ 2 β2 − p β2 − q
where

1 1 1
γ2 − p− q−
a1 = 2 2 , a2 = 2 , a3 = 2
(γ − p)(γ 2 − q) (p − γ 2 )(p − q) (q − γ 2 )(q − p)
Setting β 2 = κ2 + (1 − κ2 ) sin2 θ, there is

(κ2 − 1) sin2 θ cos2 θdθ
Ω=
16
 
a1 a2 a3
× + + (18)
(κ2 − γ 2 ) + (1 − κ2 ) sin2 θ (κ2 − p) + (1 − κ2 ) sin2 θ (κ2 − q) + (1 − κ2 ) sin2 θ
 · 262 · ACTA MECHANICA SOLIDA SINICA 2007

Utilizing the available integrating results

dϑ −1 β cot ϑ
2 sin2 ϑ + β 2
=  arctan  + const
α 2
β α +β 2 α2 + β 2
dϑ 1 β cot ϑ (19)
2 2 2
=  arctan  + const
α sin ϑ − β 2
β β −α 2 β 2 − α2
we have
   
(1 + ν) 2 ϑ sin(2ϑ)
Γ3 (ϑ) = × a 1 (1 − κ ) · −
π(1 − κ2 ) 2 4
 
 κ 2 − γ2
−(1 − γ 2 )ϑ − (κ2 − γ 2 )(1 − γ 2 ) arctan cot ϑ
1 − γ2
    
2 ϑ sin(2ϑ)  κ2 − p
+a2 (1 − κ ) · − 2
− (1 − p)ϑ − (κ − p)(1 − p) arctan cot ϑ
2 4 1−p
    
2 ϑ sin(2ϑ)  κ2 − q
+a3 (1 − κ ) · − 2
− (1 − q)ϑ − (κ − q)(1 − q) arctan cot ϑ (20)
2 4 1−q

where ϑ is an intermediate variable and evaluated in two ways:

   
   
  cl κt 2    cl κt 2 
 2  2
 x − a − κ  
 x + a − κ 
   
ϑ1 (x, t) = arcsin 2
and ϑ2 (x, t) = arcsin 2
1−κ 1−κ
which characterize waves excited from the front-end x = a and the rear-end x = −a, respectively. In
particular, ϑ1 = 0, π/2 as cl κt/(x − a) = κ, 1, and ϑ2 = 0, π/2 as cl κt/(x + a) = κ, 1, so that Γ3 (0)
and Γ3 (π/2) are constants as follows:

Γ3 (π/2) = 1
(1 + ν)     
Γ3 (0) = × a (κ 2 − γ 2 )(1 − γ 2 ) + a (κ 2 − p)(1 − p) + a (κ 2 − q)(1 − q)
1 2 3
2(κ2 − 1)
Hence, using Eq.(20) Γ3 can also be expressed as piecewise functions in closed form. By the variable
substitution we set, we can see ϑ1 , ϑ2 = 0 correspond to the appearance of longitudinal wave fronts,
and ϑ1 , ϑ2 = π/2 correspond to the appearance of transverse wave fronts.
When Γ1 , Γ2 and Γ3 are incorporated, the exact expression of σx can be written in algebraic formulas,
their respective variable intervals of time or space may overlap in so many ways that many superposition
cases of the three piecewise functions would occur.

IV. EXCITATION AND PROPAGATION OF STRESS WAVES

This section gives some concrete examples to represent our analytic results. Material parameters
(mild steel) are chosen as ν = 0.25, cl = 5182 m/s and a = 0.0025 m. For convenience, we set up ζ = x/a
and τ = cl t/a as non-dimensional spatial and temporal variables.
Figure 2 illustrates the distributions of non-dimensional stress σx /P0 on the free surface of the
two-dimensional half-space at a non-dimensional time given as τ = 0.80, with four cases corresponding
to four different loading periods τ0 = 0.80, 0.60, 0.32, 0.04, respectively. The symbols L, T, and R mark
the arrival of longitudinal, transverse, and Rayleigh waves, respectively, and the subscript ‘un’ indicates
unloading.
Assume a special case where there is no unloading. When τ < 1, the stress waves excited from the
front-end ζ = 1 propagate symmetrically and simultaneously along positive and negative directions,
 Vol. 20, No. 3 Liu Guangyu et al.: Two-dimensional Lamb’s Problem due to a Strip Impulse Loading · 263 ·

Fig. 2. The distributions of σx /P0 on the free edge of the two-dimensional half-space at τ = 0.80, with four different
loading periods.

arranged in the precedence order of L, T, and R. And temporally the negative-going waves have not
yet arrived at the origin, and no wave excited from the rear-end ζ = −1 has come to superpose. Figure
2(a) plots the wave profile at the instant just before unloading. When the unloading occurs, it can be
seen from Fig.2(b)-(d) that also from the front-end ζ = 1 first, stress waves by unloading propagate
symmetrically and simultaneously along positive and negative directions, arranged in the precedence
order of Lun , Tun , Run , and may get superposed on waves by loading at various phases. Figure 2(b)
presents the case of not long after unloading; all kinds of waves are clearly to be distinguished. As an
example to show how some waves by unloading exceed some waves by loading, Fig.2(c) describes the
case in which Lun -wave has overtaken the loading R-wave. In Fig.2(d), unloading has lasted a period of
time, Lun -wave has exceeded T-wave, and Tun -wave has exceeded R-wave. The waveform shows that
Rayleigh wave has been isolated entirely from longitudinal wave and transverse wave and dominates
the wave field.
Figure 3 presents the distributions of non-dimensional stress σx /P0 on the surface at three different
moments given as τ = 2.0, 4.0 and 12.0, respectively, in the case of the loading period τ0 = 1.6. When
τ ≥ 1, the stress waves excited from the rear-end ζ = −1 have propagated to the positive x-axis and
are superposed on the negative-going stress waves excited from the front-end ζ = 1. The faster waves
will overtake the slower waves along the propagating direction. Figure 3(a) illustrates all the waves
by loading, which are excited from ζ = −1 and have passed through the origin, but all the waves by
unloading are still at the negative axis. Figure 3(b) presents the state that all the waves by unloading,
which are excited form ζ = −1, have already arrived at the positive axis. The four distinct vertical
jumps, from right to left, are loading R-wave, unloading R-wave excited from ζ = −1, and loading
R-wave, unloading R-wave excited from ζ = 1. Figure 3(c) shows the distribution of the wave patterns
farther away from the loading strip. Apostrophes  in the figure are affixed to those R-waves excited
from ζ = −1, differentiating them from those excited from ζ = 1.
 · 264 · ACTA MECHANICA SOLIDA SINICA 2007

Fig. 3. The distributions of σx /P0 on the free edge of the two-dimensional half-space with loading period τ0 = 1.6, at
three given moments.

V. CONCLUSIONS
The present paper investigates a two-dimensional Lamb’s problem due to an impact loading which
acts on a finite strip area of the surface. By applying the integral transform method and the inverse
transformation based upon the two types of integration, an exact algebraic solution is obtained in the
end. The piecewise functions form of the solution presents the excitation and propagation processes of
stress waves, including the longitudinal-wave, the transverse-wave, and Rayleigh-wave, directly. There
are the following conclusions:
(1) During the analysis process, the integration along the branch cuts, encircling the branch points
η = ±i and η = ±i/κ in the complex ξ-plane, contains information about longitudinal wave and
transverse wave. And the distributions of the single poles η = 0 and η = ±iηR to the contour integration
characterize the loading source and Rayleigh wave, respectively.
(2) When τ < 1, the stress waves excited from the front-end ζ = 1 propagate symmetrically
and simultaneously along positive and negative directions, arranged in the precedence order of the
longitudinal-wave, the transverse-wave, and Rayleigh-wave. And temporally the negative-going waves
have not yet arrived at the origin, and no wave excited from the rear-end ζ = −1 has come to superpose.
(3) When τ ≥ 1, the stress waves excited from the rear-end ζ = −1 have propagated to the positive
x-axis and are superposed on the negative-going stress waves excited from the front-end ζ = 1. The
faster waves will overtake the slower waves along the propagating direction.
(4) Based on the exact solution in the piecewise algebraic form, many phenomena, such as how stress
wave components, including longitudinal wave, transverse wave and Rayleigh wave, are excited from the
loading source area, how they arrive at and depart from the observed point, and no matter whether those
waves of identical components but excited from different source points, or those of different components,
how they overtake others and are superposed on others, all are exactly exhibited with immediacy. The
exact solution given in this paper is convenient for detailed investigation on the rule of excitation and
propagation of stress waves.

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