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A hybrid numerical technique, combining the finite-element and boundary-element methods, for modeling the 3D response of 2D scatterers

Department of Civil Engineering Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York 12180-3590(518) 276-6331(518) 276-4833papaga{at}rpi.edu
Department of Civil Engineering The University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712-1076

Abstract

A hybrid formulation of the 2.5D elastodynamic scattering problem combining the finite-element method and boundary integral equation method is presented and validated. The formulation of the 2.5D boundary integral equation method that is used was presented in detail by Papageorgiou and Pei (1998) and is an extension of the discrete wavenumber boundary integral equation method originally proposed by Kawase (1988) for 2D scattering problems. Modeling of the wave field in the domain of the scatterer is based on the variational principle of virtual displacements, and discretization of the domain is accomplished using the finite-element method.

The formulation may be used to study the wave field in models of sedimentary deposits (e.g., valleys) or topography (e.g., canyons or ridges) with a 2D variation in structure but obliquely incident plane waves. The hybrid method exploits the versatility of the finite element method for modeling the scatterer and the effectiveness of the boundary integral equation method for taking care of the radiation condition in the half-space. The advantage of the 2.5D formulation is that it provides the means for calculations of 3D wave fields in scattering problems by requiring a storage comparable to that of the corresponding 2D calculations.