Simulation of multiple scattering of seismic waves by spatially distributed inclusions

A 2D elastodynamic boundary element method (BEM) is used to solve multiple scattering of elastic waves. The method is based on the integral representa tion of an elastic wave-field by assuming a fictitious source distribution on the scattering objects or inclusions, i.e. a mathematical description of Huygens' principle, and the fictitious source distribution can be found by matching appropriate boundary conditions at the boundary of the inclusions . Numerical studies show that in the presence of cracks, spatial and scale- length distributions are important and different spatial arrangements of th e same scatters lead to profound differences in scattering characteristics, in particular the frequency contents of the transmitted wave-fields. The f requency characteristics, such as the frequency of peak attenuation, can be related to spatial size parameters of the model.