Abstract:The scattering of plane SH waves by a cavity of arbitrary shape in a wedge-shaped space is investigated by using the indirect boundary element method (IBEM).According to the theory of single-layer potential, the scattering wave field can be constructed by applying virtual uniform load on the free surface of cavity and the wedge-shape space. The density of virtual load can be solved by establishing equation through the condition which is the free surface of the zero-stress. The total wave field is obtained by the superposition of free-wave field and scattering-wave field in wedge-shaped space. It is shown that the IBEM can solve the diffraction of elastic wave in wedge-shaped space accurately and efficiently. The scattering of waves depends on the angle of incidence, the frequency of the incident wave, the shape and location of cavity and the angle of the wedge. The waves interface effect around the cavity in wedge space seems more significant, and the wedge space surface displacement amplitude and stress concentration factor on cavity surface can reach 8.5 and 10.0 respectively, more than doubled that of the case of half space. This study will lay a foundation for the analysis of the scattering of P and SV waves in wedge-shaped space.