A frequency domain boundary element formulation for dynamic interaction problems in poroviscoelastic media

Abstract

A unified formulation is presented, based on the boundary element method, to perform the interaction analysis for the problems involving poroviscoelastic media. The proposed formulation permits the evaluation of all the elements of impedance and input motion matrices at a single step in terms of system matrices of boundary element method without solving any special problem, such as, unit displacement or load problem, as required by conventional methods. It further eliminates the complicated procedure and the need for using scattering analysis in the evaluation of input motion functions. The formulation is explained by considering a simple interaction problem involving an inclusion embedded in an infinite poroviscoelastic medium, which is under the influence of a dynamic excitation induced by seismic waves. In the formulation, an impedance relation is established for this interaction problem, suitable for performing the interaction analysis by substructure method, which permits carrying out the analysis for inclusion and its surrounding medium separately. The inclusion is first treated as poroviscoelastic, then viscoelastic and finally rigid, where the formulation in each of these cases is obtained consecutively as a special case of the previous one. It is remarkable to note that, a cavity problem where there is a hole in place of inclusion can be also considered within the framework of the present formulation. The formulation is assessed by applying it to some sample problems. The extension of the formulation to other types of interaction problems, such as, multi-inclusion problems, the analyses of foundations supported by a poroviscoelastic medium, etc., will be the subject of a separate study.