Dynamic responses of an axisymmetric thermo-poroelastic half-space subjected to thermo-mechanical loads

The dynamic responses of a thermo-poroelastic half-space subjected to circular surface thermal or/and mechanical loads are studied semi-analytically. With the consideration of water seepage and inertia of both the soil particles and pore water, the governing equations of the thermo-poroelastic medium are established based on Biot’s dynamic poroelastic theory. The solutions of the governing equations are first derived in the transformed domain using Laplace-Hankel transform, following which the solutions in the time domain are obtained utilizing a numerical integration procedure. Finally, the dynamic responses of the thermo-poroelastic half-space under a rectangular thermal pulse load and/or a half-sinusoidal impact mechanical load are graphically presented. It is found that both the thermal loads and mechanical loads can induce time-dependent responses in the vertical displacements, vertical stresses, and pore water pressures within the saturated poroelastic medium. The resulting coupled dynamic responses of the thermo-poroelastic half-space due to the simultaneous application of the thermal and mechanical loads can be obtained as the superposition of the individual thermal and mechanical responses.