Dynamic analysis of a poroelastic layered half-space using continued-fraction absorbing boundary conditions

• A methodology for dynamic analysis of a poroelastic layered half-space is proposed.
• Continued-fraction absorbing boundary conditions are used for the half-space.
• A spectral decomposition is utilized for solutions of wave-propagation problems.
• Green functions of the poroelastic layered half-space are obtained accurately.
• The developed methodology is applicable to computational studies in the half-space.

A methodology for dynamic analysis of a poroelastic layered half-space is proposed. A poroelastic layered half-space is discretized with regular thin layers to a certain depth. Below the layers, continued-fraction absorbing boundary conditions (CFABCs) which are accurate and effective in modeling wave propagation in various unbounded domains are applied in order to represent the infinite extent of the half-space. With the representation, a spectral decomposition which is an effective approach in the solution of wave-propagation problems is utilized. Green functions of a poroelastic layered half-space are obtained accurately with the proposed numerical model. The Green functions can be applied to various dynamic problems in the half-space including foundation dynamics and soil–structure interaction problems.