Exact closed-form solutions for Lamb’s problem—II: a moving point load

Abstract

SUMMARY In this paper, we report on an exact closed-form solution for the displacement in an elastic homogeneous half-space elicited by a downward vertical point source moving with constant velocity over the surface of the medium. The problem considered here is an extension to Lamb’s problem. Starting with the integral solutions of Bakker et al., we followed the method developed by Feng and Zhang, which focuses on the displacement triggered by a fixed point source observed on the free surface, to obtain the final solution in terms of elementary algebraic functions as well as elliptic integrals of the first, second and third kind. Our closed-form results agree perfectly with the numerical results of Bakker et al., which confirms the correctness of our formulae. The solution obtained in this paper may lay a solid foundation for further consideration of the response of an actual physical moving load, such as a high-speed rail train.