Time history response of an elastic thin plate on a transversely isotropic multilayered medium due to vertical loadings

Abstract An efficient theoretical solution is proposed to investigate the time history response of an elastic circular thin plate bonded on multilayered transversely isotropic soils. Based on the analytic layer-element method, dynamic differential equation governing time dependent deflection of thin plate is solved with the global stiffness matrix equation of layered soils. In this way the compatible deformation at the plate-soil interface can be rigorously satisfied. After adopting the numerical inversion of Laplace-Hankel integral transform, the displacement and stress responses of the plate-soil system are eventually obtained in the time domain. The numerical results are validated by comparing with the finite element method (FEM). Parametric studies are also carried out to elucidate the influence of the external load form, plate rigidity, material anisotropy and soft stratum on the time history behavior of plate-soil system. It’s indicated that significantly influence has been bought by the shallowed buried weak layer, and as the buried depth decreases the elastic plate becomes more flexible.