Civil Thinking

Types of Seismic Waves

  • Body waves: Travels through the earth’s interior
    • Primary (P) Waves
      • push-pull (compress and extend) motion, changing the volume of transmitting materials
      • fastest travelling seismic waves
      • travel through solids, liquids, and gases
    • Secondary (S) Waves
      • Shear motion orthogonal to the direction of travel
      • Velocity slower than p waves
      • amplitude can be greater than P waves
      • travel only through solids
  • Surface Waves
    • Only travel along the surface of the Earth
    • Love waves: Horizontal ground motion
    • Rayleigh waves: Vertical ground motions
    • Slow, long wavelength, long period waves

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