Wave Propagation in an Elastic Field With Couple Stresses

In a linear elastic field with couple stresses, the Green’s function for an infinitely extended medium is examined and wave-propagation properties of the field are discussed by studying the analytical structure of the Green’s function. It is observed that the longitudinal wave propagation is unaltered, and that the transverse mode (VS-type) undergoes a change (due to couple stresses) with a modified wave number; and a new overdamped propagation mode is generated. The consistency of the results is checked for a special case (elastic field with no couple stress effects).