Harmonic Rocking of a Rigid Rectangular Body on a Semi-Infinite Elastic Medium

Abstract

Dual integral equations representing the mixed boundary-value problem of the rocking of an infinitely long, rigid rectangular body on the free surface of a semi-infinite elastic medium are here solved. Dynamic stress distributions under the rigid body and resonance curves for motion of the body are derived from the solution of these equations. A graphical representation of the theoretical results provides a novel method for estimating Poisson’s ratio of soil from a knowledge of the rocking frequency of a building. Suitable published results of tests on actual buildings have been used to indicate the application of this method.