TRANSIENT-RESPONSE OF AN INFINITE ELASTIC SOLID TO A MOVING POINT LOAD

Transient response of an infinite elastic solid to a moving point load is considered. An analytical solution procedure is presented for solving a three dimensional problem of the moving load. The load motion is largely arbitrary. The subject problem is reduced to a simple consideration on ″Arrival Time Function,″ defined in this paper. Three typical cases of the load motion, stationary, uniformly moving and accelerating loads, are discussed in detail. It is shown that analyses of waves and responses are carried out simultaneously by considering the behavior of the Arrival Time Function and that extremum of the Arrival Time Function gives characteristic wave fronts such as shock waves (leading waves).