| Abstract: | The transient deformation of an elastic half‐space under a line‐concentrated impulsive vector shear load applied momentarily is disclosed in this paper. While in an earlier work, the author gave an analytical–numerical method for the solution to this transient boundary‐value problem, here, the resultant response of the half‐space is presented and interpreted. In particular, a probe is set up for the kinematics of the source signature and wave fronts, both explicitly revealed in the strained half‐space by the solution method. The source signature is the imprint of the spatiotemporal configuration of the excitation source in the resultant response. Fourteen wave fronts exist behind the precursor shear wave S: four concentric cylindrical, eight plane, and two relativistic cylindrical initiated at propagating centres that are located on the stationary boundaries of the solution domain. A snapshot of the stressed half‐space reveals that none of the 14 wave fronts fully extend laterally. Instead, each is enclosed within point bounds. These wave arresting points and the two propagating centres of the relativistic waves constitute the source signature. The obtained 14 wave fronts are further combined into 11 disparate wave fronts that are grouped into four categories: an axis of symmetry wave—so named here by reason of being a wave front that is contiguous to the axis of symmetry, three body waves, five surface waves and two inhibitor waves—so named here by reason that beyond them the material motion dies out. Of the three body waves, the first is an unloading shear wave, the second is a diffracted wave and the third is a reflected longitudinal two‐branch wave. Of the two inhibitor waves, the first is a two‐joint relativistic wave, while the second is a two‐branch wave. The wave system, however, is not the same for all the dependent variables; a wave front that appears in the behaviour of one dependent variable may not exist in the behaviour of another. It is evident from this work that Saint–Venant's principle for wave propagation problems cannot be formulated. Therefore, the above results are valid for the particular proposed model for the momentary line‐concentrated shear load. The formulation of the source signature, the wave system, and their role in the half‐space transient deformation are presented here. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
