3D scattering by multiple cylindrical cavities buried in an elastic formation

This paper presents the three-dimensional scattering field obtained when multiple cylindrical circular cavities of infinite length buried in a homogeneous elastic medium, are subjected to dilatational point loads placed at some point in the medium. The solution is formulated using boundary elements for a wide range of frequencies and spatially harmonic line loads, which are then used to obtain time series by means of (fast) inverse Fourier transforms into space-time. The method and the expressions presented are implemented and validated by applying them to a cylindrical circular cavity buried in an infinite homogeneous elastic medium subjected to a dilatational point load, for which the solution is calculated in closed form. The boundary elements method is then used to evaluate the wave-field elicited by a dilatational point load source in the presence of a different number of cylindrical oval cavities. Simulation analyses using this idealized model are then applied to the study of wave propagation patterns in the vicinity of these inclusions. The amplitude of the wavefield in the frequency vs axial-wavenumber domain is presented, allowing the recognition, identification, and physical interpretation of the variation of the wavefield.