A semi-analytical method for computing dispersion curves of propagating waves underground.

We present a method to compute the dispersion curves of underground propagating waves. The method conceptualizes the underground space as consisting of two general layers. One is described numerically by variational finite elements which can model complex soil profiles; the other one is described analytically by interactions of bulk waves which represent leaking wave field in the unbounded deep soil. The dispersion curves are finally obtained from a linear generalized eigenproblem mathematically well-studied. The method and its computer program are verified by comparison with the published results for three cases of underground systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]