Solution of dynamic Green׳s function for unsaturated soil under internal excitation

•A 3D Green׳s function for unsaturated soil under internal excitation is derived.•The model considers the capillary effect and shear modulus varying with saturation.•Evolution of dynamic behavior is described from single-phase to two phase media.•Some factors influencing the dynamic response are investigated.•The effects of saturation are achieved primarily by altering the dynamic modulus.

The closed form three-dimensional Green׳s function of a semi-infinite unsaturated poroelastic medium subjected to an arbitrary internal harmonic loading is derived, with consideration of capillary pressure and dynamic shear modulus varying with saturation. By applying the Fourier expansion techniques and Hankel integral transforms to the circumferential and radial coordinates, respectively, the general solution for the governing partial differential equations is obtained in the transformed domain. A corresponding boundary value problem is formulated. The integral solutions for the induced displacements, pore pressure and net stress are then determined considering the continuity conditions. The formulas are compared with the degenerated solution of saturated soils and confirmed. Numerical results reveal that the response of the unsaturated half-space depends significantly on the saturation by altering dynamic shear modulus to account for the effects of matric suction on soil stiffness. Slight differences between the results occur if only the saturation is taken into account. Moreover, a large source-depth results in a pronounced contribution to the reduction of surface displacement amplitudes. The analytical solutions concluded in the study offer a broader application to dynamic response associated with axi-symmetric and asymmetric conditions.