1

Seismic Wave Propagation

Lecture-20
Solution of 1D wave equation
2
2
2
2
2
x
u
v
t
u
p
c
c
=
c
c
Solution for the above equation can be expressed as
u (x, t) = A cos (et k x) + B cos (et + k x)
First and seconds terms represent harmonic waves propagating in
positive and negative x directions respectively
k = wave number = e/v
The same solution can be written using complex notation


( ) ( ) kx wt i kx t i
e D e C t x u
+
+ = ) , (
u
t
T = 2t/e
u
x
= 2t/k
1 D wave equation:
Waves in semi-infinite body
For waves whose motion is concentrated in a shallow zone near the free
surface (surface waves), earth is idealized as semi-infinite body with planar
free surface.
y
x
z
Plane wave
These plane waves in homogeneous
elastic half-space represent Rayleigh
waves. Particle motion occurs in the x-z
plane in figure.
If the semi-infinite half-space is overlain
by a layer of material with lower body
wave velocity, Love waves can develop.
i.e. When ( G
1
/

1
< G
2
/

2
) in figure
x
z H
1
, G
1

2
, G
2

Half-space
Surficial
layer
Three-Dimensional wave propagation
o
x

t
xy

o
y

o
z

t
zy

t
zx

t
xz

t
yz

t
xy

Three-dimensional stress on an element.
Equations of Equilibrium
co
c
ct
c
ct
c
ct
c
co
c
ct
c
ct
c
ct
c
co
c
x
xy
xz
b
xy y yz
b
xz
yz
z
b
x y z
X
x y z
Y
x y z
Z
+ + + =
+ + + =
+ + + =
0
0
0
Strain Displacement
(u,v,w) are the x, y and z components of
displacement.
c
c
c

c
c
c
c
c
c
c

c
c
c
c
c
c
c

c
c
c
c
x xy
y xz
z yz
u
x
u
y
v
x
v
y
u
z
w
x
w
z
w
y
v
z
= = +
= = +
= = +
Stress-Strain Relationships

o
o
o
t
t
t
v v
v v v
v v v
v v v
c
c
c

v
v
v
x
y
z
xy
yz
zx
x
y
z
xy
yz
zx
E

=
+

(
(
(
(
(
(
(

( )( )
(1 )
(1 )
(1 )
1 1 2
1 0 0 0
1 0 0 0
1 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
2
2
2
2
2
2
) 1 ( 2
:
v +
=
E
G Note
Stress-Strain Relationships

(
(
(
(
(
(
(
(

+
+
+
=

zx
yz
xy
z
y
x
zx
yz
xy
z
y
x

c
c
c

t
t
t
o
o
o
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 2
0 0 0 2
0 0 0 2
For isotropic, linear elastic material,
Where and and Lames constants
Elastic constants
For isotropic, linear elastic material,

Where and and Lames constants
( )

+
=
=
+ =
+
+
=
2
3
2
2 3
G
K
E
Three-Dimensional wave propagation
Equations of motion for 3D case are:
Three-Dimensional wave propagation
Equations of motion for an elastic solid for 3D case are:
( ) v
x
t
v
2
2
2
V +
c
c
+ =
c
c

c

( ) w
x
t
w
2
2
2
V +
c
c
+ =
c
c

c

Where is the volumetric strain = c
x
+c
y
+c
z

& are Lame constants and
V
2
= Laplacian operator =
c
2
2
2
2
2
2
z y x c
c
+
c
c
+
c
c
( ) u
x
t
u
2
2
2
V +
c
c
+ =
c
c

c

Solution of the 3D equations of motion
Solving 3 D equations of motion for an isotropic, linear, elastic solid
produce equations for two types of waves, which can travel through
unbounded solid. These are called body waves (P and S waves).
Longitudinal waves are P waves, which involve no rotation
Transverse waves in two mutually perpendicular directions are S
waves, which involve no volume change
SH waves: S- waves in which particle motion is in horizontal plane
SV waves: S- waves in which particle motion is in vertical plane
Waves in layered body
Incident P-wave: P-Reflection, P-transmitted, S-reflection,
S-transmitted
When a P-wave hits a velocity boundary, it makes three P-waves: a refracted, a
transmitted, and a reflected wave. But, it also forms a reflected and transmitted S-
wave too. Snells law still works, except when the outgoing ray is a S-wave, the S-wave
velocity must be used in Snells Law.
Refraction of a (P or S) ray due to velocity change: Snells Law
When a ray traverses a velocity
contrast (change), the ray MUST
refract. Because otherwise the
wavefront would tear apart which
the physics does not permit. Also, in
most all cases a reflected wave is
made.

All waves refract: e.g., seismic, light,
EM, water waves.
The refraction law: Snells Law. Note that all
angles between the ray and interface are
reckoned with respect to the surface normal.
1 2
1 2
sin( ) sin( )
v v
u u
=
For a wave reflected from a flat
interface, the angle of incidence
EQUALS the angle or reflection.
incidence reflection
u u =
reflected
incident
transmitted
Snells Law derivation
An explosion makes a wavefield at (S). The waves travel outwards as represented by
the wavefront at different times. Where the wave hits the velocity interface, the
waves refracts (and reflects).

What determines the angle of the refraction into the rock-2 layer ?
v1
v2
T
0

T
1

1

A
B
T
0

T
1

2

1 1
1
1
2 2
2
2
sin( )
sin( )
sin( )
sin( )
AB
AB
AB
AB

u
u

u
u
= =
= =
1 2 1 2
1 2 1 2
1 1 2 2
sin( ) sin( ) sin( ) sin( )
* *
v v
v f v f
u u u u


= =
= =
1 1 1
2 2 2
sin( )
sin( )
v
v
u
u
= =
The ratios of the velocities and wavelengths and sin(angles) are all equal.
Otherwise, the wavefield would tear apart.
Derivation of
Snells Law
Tracing rays using Snells Law in multiple layer medium
Tracing a raypath through multiple layers is
simple. It is just the process of using Snells
Law sequentially each successive interface.

Note that the angle (i
1
) at the top and the
bottom (i
1

) of a layer is the same.

If the lower layers velocity increases
( v
2
> v
1
), the ray refracts AWAY from the
interface normal. In the converse, the ray
refracts TOWARDS the normal.




If the deeper layers have a monotonic
increase in velocity, the ray will continue to
flatten out with depth. Eventually, the ray
will reach its turning depth where it goes
exactly horizontal and will start to go up.
1 1
2 2
sin( )
sin( )
v
v
u
u
=
Using Snells Law for a spherical geometry (not Cartesian)
1 1 2 2
1 2
sin( ) sin( ) r r
v v
u u
=
Note that the angle at the top and the
bottom of a spherical shell are NOT
the same. This is because the layers
are curved.

But, if one is just calculating the angles
on either side of an interface, then the
two radius values (r
1
and r
2
) are the
same and the Cartesian form of Snells
Law is operative (i.e., the radius scaling
cancels out in the spherical Snells Law.


Incident SV wave
Transmitted SV wave
Reflected SV wave
Waves in layered body
Waves perpendicular to boundaries
SV wave: S-waves polarized in the vertical plane
Incident SH wave
Transmitted SH wave
Reflected SH wave
Waves in layered body
Waves perpendicular to boundaries
SH wave: S-waves polarized in the horizontal plane
Waves in layered body
Inclined waves
Incident P wave
Reflected P wave
Refracted SV wave
Refracted P wave
Reflected SV wave
Waves in layered body
Inclined waves
Incident SV wave
Reflected P wave
Refracted SV wave
Refracted P wave
Reflected SV wave
Waves in layered body
Inclined waves
Incident SH wave
Refracted SH wave
Reflected SH wave
Waves in layered body
Vs= 750 m/sec
Vs= 600 m/sec
Vs= 450 m/sec
Vs= 300 m/sec
Vs= 150 m/sec
Attenuation of stress waves
Attenuation of stress waves

The amplitude of stress waves in real
materials decrease or attenuate with distance

Two primary sources for the attenuation

Material Damping
Radiation Damping
Attenuation of stress waves
Material Damping

A portion of the elastic energy of stress waves
is lost due to heat generation
Specific energy decreases as the waves travel
through the material
Consequently the amplitude of the stress
waves decreases with the distance
Attenuation of stress waves
Radiation Damping

The specific energy could also decrease due
to geometric spreading
Consequently the amplitude of the stress
waves decreases with the distance even
though the total energy remains constant
29
Chapman, C.H. (2004) Fundamentals of Seismic Propagation, Cambridge
University Press.
Sato, H., and M. Fehler (1998) Seismic wave propagation and scattering in the
heterogeneous earth, Springer.
Kramer (1996) Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering, Prentice Hall.
http://geo.cv.nctu.edu.tw/EngGeo/.../Seismic_Wave_Propagation1D.pdf
(Accessed on 30 March 2012)
http://octavia.ce.washington.edu/drlayer/theory/T-Basic-Concepts.html
(Accessed on 30 March 2012)


References