Lamb's problem at its simplest

Abstract

This article revisits the classical problem of horizontal and vertical point loads suddenly applied onto the surface of a homogeneous, elastic half-space, and provides a complete set of exact, explicit formulae which are cast in the most compact format and with the simplest possible structure. The formulae given are valid for the full range of Poisson's ratios from 0 to 0.5, and they treat real and complex poles alike, as a result of which a single set of formulae suffices and also exact formulae for dipoles can be given. © 2012 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.