The settlement of a rigid circular foundation resting on a half-space exhibiting a near surface elastic non-homogeneity

The present paper examines the elastostatic problem pertaining to the axisymmetric loading of a rigid circular foundation resting on the surface of a non-homogeneous elastic half-space. The non-homogeneity corresponds to a depth variation in the linear elastic shear modulus according to the exponential form G(z) = G(1) + G(2)e(-zeta z). The equations of elasticity governing this type of non-homogeneity are solved by employing a Hankel transform technique. The mixed boundary value problem associated with the indentation of the half-space by the rigid circular foundation is reduced to a Fredholm integral equation which is solved via a numerical technique. The numerical results presented in the paper illustrate the influence of the near-surface elastic non-homogeneity on the settlement of the foundation.