Surface waves in deformed Bell materials

Abstract

Small amplitude inhomogeneous plane waves are studied as they propagate on the free surface of a predeformed semi-infinite body made of Bell constrained material. The predeformation corresponds to a finite static pure homogeneous strain. The surface wave propagates in a principal direction of strain and is attenuated in another principal direction, orthogonal to the free surface. For these waves, the secular equation giving the speed of propagation is established by the method of first integrals. This equation is not the same as the secular equation for incompressible half-spaces, even though the Bell constraint and the incompressibility constraint coincide in the isotropic infinitesimal limit.