SHAPE EFFECTS ON WAVE PROPAGATION IN A 2D DOMAIN USING THE FINITE ELEMENT METHOD

Seismic wave propagation is influenced by any discontinuity in the mechanical properties of the propagation medium such as alluvial basins, fault zones and cavities. There are several interesting results in the literature concerning both the 3D and the 2D simplified cases. Many of the currently available results refer to the wave propagation in a vertical section of the 3D domain. On the contrary just few works account for the shape effects of the geological structures on a horizontal slice of the earth surface or on the surface itself, where the earthquake has a devastating effect on buildings and infrastructures. Therefore, in this paper we delve into the impact of a curved interface on wave propagation within a horizontal plane, revealing its role akin to an optical diopter, either focusing or defocusing seismic energy.