Analysis of love-type surface waves in an isotropic thermoelastic layer over a non-homogeneous elastic half-space with interface irregularity

This study explores the dispersion characteristics of Love-type surface waves in a composite elastic media consisting of an isotropic thermoelastic layer resting over nonhomogeneous elastic half-space. A rectangular-shaped irregularity at the interface between the two media is introduced to simulate a geometric discontinuity, which represents more realistic subsurface features. The present work simultaneously incorporates material inhomogeneity, thermoelastic effects, and interface irregularity within a unified analytical framework. The governing equations have been taken using theory of elasticity and solved analytically using Fourier and inverse Fourier transformations. Perturbation method is then applied to derive the dispersion equation for the propagation of Love waves. This dispersion equation is graphically analysed using MATLAB to observe how the dimensionless phase velocity changes with dimensionless wave number for different values of the inhomogeneity parameter and various values of the ratio of irregularity depth to layer height. The obtained results show that both rectangular-shaped interface irregularity and inhomogeneity significantly affect phase velocity, particularly at the lower wave numbers. This study enhances the understanding of surface wave behaviour in complex elastic structures and provides practical implications for subsurface imaging, seismic hazard assessment, and material characterization in civil engineering and geotechnical applications.