An approximation of the Rayleigh stress waves generated in an elastic half plane

Approximate expressions are derived for the stresses in the Rayleigh waves generated by a constant line load and a constant strip load on an elastic half plane, on the basis of the exact solutions of these problems obtained using integral transform methods. The results of the approximations compare very well with the exact results, for sufficiently large values of time. As the mathematical form of the approximations is very simple, approximations for more complex types of loading can be easily derived from them, analytically or numerically. For the case of a strip load simple expressions for the maximum tensile stresses along the surface are obtained.