Field experiments on wave propagation and vibration isolation by using wave barriers

In this paper, the obtained results from the experimental studies describe the basic characteristics of wave propagation and ability of possible measures to reduce the impact of soil vibrations on structural response for both active and passive isolation cases. A series of field tests on the foundation vibrations generated by electrodynamic shaker are performed to examine the screening efficiency of open and in-filled trench barriers which are constructed for full-scale measurement. From field measurements of amplitude with and without the barrier, the amplitude reduction ratio is estimated at different points of interest. Wave propagating characteristics and frequency-dependent screening effects of the wave barriers are investigated according to various isolation material stiffnesses. The remarkable outcomes from these experimental studies can be briefly generalized as follows: backfilled trench with softer material than soil is more effective for the passive isolation than the active one. The reduction effects of wave barriers depend on the frequency of vibration source for both passive and active isolation cases. In-situ measurements confirm that vibration screening systems using open or in-filled trench barriers can be applied as a reduction measure for soil vibrations due to a moving load which is considered as stationary wave source in this problem.     

饱和地基中空沟近场隔振的现场试验与二维半解析边界元分析

动力机器运行和车辆行驶等会产生振动污染,危及邻近建筑物安全和干扰精密仪器设备正常运行等。这些振动污染可通过在地基中设置空沟的方式来降低或消除。针对饱和地基上明置动力机器基础的环境振动影响及空沟近场隔振问题,进行了饱和地基上空沟近场隔振的现场试验,并对试验结果进行了无量纲化分析;基于饱和土半解析边界元法,分别推导了动力机器基础环境振动影响和空沟近场隔振的边界元方程;在此基础上,详细研究了空沟对动力机器基础振动影响的隔振效果,分析了空沟深度、宽度和距振源距离对其隔振效果的影响。结果表明:空沟能够有效的降低动力机器基础的环境振动影响;空沟宽度对其隔振效果影响相对较小,而空沟深度对其隔振效果影响较大,为获得较好的隔振效果,空沟深度建议取1倍Rayleigh波波长;空沟距振源距离对其隔振效果也有较大影响,距离越远则隔振效果也越好,当被保护建筑距振源较远时,建议空沟在被保护建筑附近设置。此外,在某些特殊情况下,空沟隔振系统会由于共振现象而出现隔振效果劣化的现象,在工程设计中应予以注意。     

Attenuation of ground vibrations using in-filled wave barriers

Ground vibrations generated by construction activities can adversely affect the structural health of adjacent buildings and foundations supporting them. Therefore propagation and rate of attenuation of construction induced ground vibrations is important during construction activities, particularly in urban areas where constructions are carried out in the vicinity of existing structures. In practice wave barriers are installed in the ground to mitigate the ground vibration propagation and hence to minimise the effect of ground vibrations on surrounding structures. Different types of fill materials such as bentonite, EPS geofoam and concrete are used in constructing wave barriers. In this study, a three-dimensional finite element model is developed to study the efficiency of different fill materials in attenuating ground vibrations. The model is first verified using data from full scale field experiments, where EPS geofoam has been used as a fill material in wave barriers. Then the same model has been used to evaluate the efficiency of open trenches, water filled wave barriers and EPS geofoam filled wave barriers on attenuation of ground vibrations. EPS geofoam is found to be the most efficient fill material, providing attenuation efficiency closer to open trenches. The efficiency of EPS geofoam and water filled wave barriers can be significantly increased by increasing the depth of the wave barrier.     

复杂环境水下控制爆破工程影响效应测试分析

结合某沉管隧道沉管段基槽开挖工程,采用爆破动态效应的现场测试、理论分析等综合手段,探索水下爆破水中冲击波和爆破地震波动对邻近建筑物的动态效应特性。研究表明:(1)与地震波的峰值压力值相比,浅水条件下钻孔爆破水中冲击波压力值较小,传播速度也没有地震波快,特定情况下,在考量岸边堤岸及岸边建筑物的稳定性时可以忽略水冲击波的影响;(2)对于不同区域爆破施工来说,应根据其距离被保护对象的远近,选择各允许最大药量中的最小值作为最大爆破控制药量。研究成果对类似工程具有一定的借鉴意义。     

应用屏障进行被动隔振的研究综述

人工振动作为一种新形式的环境污染,被列为世界七大环境公害之一。各种形式的人工振动都涉及弹性波的产生和传播,在既有振源与保护区之间设立屏障来切断弹性波的传播路径,衰减振动能量,降低振动幅度,是目前国际上普通采用的隔振措施。屏障按几何构造可分为两类:连续屏障和非连续屏障。对国内外两类屏障的隔振理论和试验研究进行简述,得出的结论为:(1)连续屏障隔振效果好,但对于低频振源,屏障的深度需达到十几米以上(近似于R波的半波长),在软土和高地下水位地区的工程造价非常高,施工难度也非常大;(2)非连续屏障施工方便,不受深度和场地的限制,不需要进行额外的支护和维护,多排非连续屏障具有更广泛的应用前景。今后应注重和加强多排非连续屏障隔振的三维理论分析和吸振新材料的试验研究。     

Transient Scattering of Elastic Waves by Dipping Layers of Arbitrary Shape Part 1: Antiplane Strain Model

Scattering of elastic waves by two dimensional multilayered dipping sediments of arbitrary shape embedded in an elastic half-sapce is investigated by using a bondary method. The displancement field is evaluated throughout the elastic media for both steady state and transient incident SH waves. The unknown scattered field is expressed in terms of wave functions which satisfy the equation of motion, traction-free boundary condition and appropariate radiation conditions. The transient response is constructed from the steady state solution by using the fast Fourier transform technique. The numerical results presented demonstrate that scattering of waves by subsurface irregularities may cause locally very large amplification of surface ground motion. The motion can be affected greatly by the scattered surface waves in the sediments. The results clearly indicate that the surface ground motion depends upon a number of parameters present in the problem, such as frequency and the angle of incidence of the incoming wave, impedance contrast between the layers and location of the observation point.     

Analysis of effects of active sources on observed phase velocity based on the thin layer method

In the wave field induced by active sources, the observed phase velocity of surface waves is influenced by both mode incompatibility (i.e. non-planar spread of surface waves is idealized as plane waves) and body waves. Effects of sources are usually investigated based on numerical simulations and physical models. Several methods have been proposed to mitigate the effects. In application, however, these methods may also have difficulties since the energy of the body waves depends on soil stratification and parameters. There are multiple modes of surface waves in layered media, among which the higher modes dominate the wave field for soils with the irregular shear velocity profiles. Considering the mode incompatibility and the higher modes, we derive analytical expressions for the effective phase velocity of the surface waves based on the thin layer stiffness method, and investigate the effects of the body waves on the observed phase velocity through the phase analysis of the vibrations of both the surface waves and the body waves. The results indicate that the effective phase velocity of the surface waves in layered media varies with the frequency and the spread distance, and is underestimated compared to that of the plane surface waves in the spread range less than about one wavelength. The oscillations that appeared in the observed phase velocity are due to the involvement of the body waves. The mode incompatibility can be ignored in the range beyond one wavelength, while the influence range of the body waves is far beyond one wavelength. The body waves have a significant influence on the observed phase velocity of the surface waves in soils with a soft layer trapped between the first and the second layers because of strong reflections.     

Transient scattering of elastic waves by dipping layers of arbitrary shape. Part 2: Plane strain model

Scattering of elastic waves by dipping layers of arbitrary shape embedded within an elastic half-space is investigated for a plane strain model by using a boundary method. Unknown scattered waves are expressed in the frequency domain in terms of wave functions which satisfy the equations of motion and appropriate radiation conditions at infinity. The steady state displacement field is evaluated throughout the elastic medium for different incident waves so that the continuity conditions along the interfaces between the layers and the traction-free conditions along the surface of the half-space are satisfied in the least-squares sense. Transient response is constructed from the steady state one through the Fourier synthesis. The results presented show that scattering of waves by dipping layers may cause locally very large amplification of surface ground motion. This amplification depends upon the type and frequency of the incident wave, impedance contrast between the layers, component of displacement which is being observed, location of the observation station and the geometry of the subsurface irregularity. These results are in agreement with recent experimental observations.     

Alternative interpretations of horizontal to vertical spectral ratios of ambient vibrations: new insights from theoretical modeling

Different positions exist about the physical interpretation of horizontal to vertical spectral ratios (HVSR) deduced from ambient vibrations. Two of them are considered here: one is based on the hypothesis that HVSR are mainly conditioned by body waves approaching vertically the free surface, the other one assumes that they are determined by surface waves (Rayleigh and Love, with relevant upper modes) only. These interpretations can be seen as useful approximations of the actual physical process, whose reliability should be checked case-by-case. To this purpose, a general model has been here developed where ambient vibrations are assumed to be the complete wave field generated by a random distribution of independent harmonic point sources acting at the surface of a flat stratified visco-elastic Earth. Performances of the approximate interpretations and complete wave field models have been evaluated by considering a simple theoretical subsoil configuration and an experimental setting where measured HVSR values were available. These analyses indicate that, at least as concerns the subsoil configurations here considered, the surface-waves approximation seems to produce reliable results for frequencies larger than the fundamental resonance frequency of the sedimentary layer. On the other hand, the body waves interpretation provides better results around the resonance frequency. It has been also demonstrated that the HVSR curve is sensitive to the presence of a source-free area around the receiver and that most energetic contribution of the body waves component comes from such local sources. This dependence from the sources distribution implies that, due to possible variations in human activities in the area where ambient vibrations are carried on, significant variations are expected to affect the experimental HVSR curve. Such variations, anyway, only weakly affect the location of HVSR maximum that confirms to be a robust indicator (in the range of 10%) of the local fundamental resonance frequency.     

Parameters determination for a linearly inhomogeneous half-space using characteristics of the time-harmonic surface waves

The paper presents a study of time-harmonic surface waves in a linearly inhomogeneous half-space. The study is based on the solution of that problem for an arbitrary (from 0 to 1/2) value of Poisson's ratio. Vertical vibrations due to a vertical harmonic force, which at large distances from the force represent Rayleigh-type waves, and transverse horizontal vibrations due to a horizontal force, which at large distances form waves of Love's type, are considered in detail. Material damping is taken into consideration. Inhomogeneity significantly affects relationships connecting wave characteristics and the frequency of vibration, and it is shown in the paper how this fact can be used for determining material properties (surface shear modulus, degree of inhomogeneity, damping ratio) with the help of experimental results concerning wave propagation over the surface of the half-space. It is shown that for forced waves the relationship between the wave phase angle and distance can significantly differ from a straight line, i.e. the wave number varies with distance. Therefore, it is desirable to relate experimental and theoretical results to such parts of wave propagation line, which correspond to same phase angle intervals. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Experimental study of a stiff wave barrier in gelatine

Railway induced vibrations and re-radiated noise in buildings can be mitigated by means of wave barriers in the soil. Numerical simulations demonstrate that a stiff wave barrier, consisting of a material that is stiffer than the surrounding medium, can be very effective if the stiffness contrast between the barrier and the medium is sufficiently large. This paper presents results of a lab experiment that has been carried out to validate these findings, using gelatine instead of soil in order to reduce the wavelengths and thus the scale of the test setup. An expanded polystyrene beam is employed as wave barrier, while a non-contact measurement procedure is applied for visualizing the waves in the gelatine, based on reflections of a grid of laser rays. The experimental results are found to be in line with the numerical predictions, confirming the vibration reduction effectiveness of stiff wave barriers.     

Storm observations by remote sensing and influences of gustiness on ocean waves and on generation of rogue waves

The impact of the gustiness on surface waves under storm conditions is investigated with focus on the appearance of wave groups with extreme high amplitude and wavelength in the North Sea. During many storms characterized by extremely high individual waves measured near the German coast, especially in cold air outbreaks, the moving atmospheric open cells are observed by optical and radar satellites. According to measurements, the footprint of the cell produces a local increase in the wind field at sea surface, moving as a consistent system with a propagation speed near to swell wave-traveling speed. The optical and microwave satellite data are used to connect mesoscale atmospheric turbulences and the extreme waves measured. The parameters of open cells observed are used for numerical spectral wave modeling. The North Sea with horizontal resolution of 2.5?km and with focus on the German Bight was simulated. The wind field “storm in storm,” including moving organized mesoscale eddies with increased wind speed, was generated. To take into account the rapid moving gust structure, the input wind field was updated each 5?min. The test cases idealized with one, two, and four open individual cells and, respectively, with groups of open cells, with and without preexisting sea state, as well the real storm conditions, are simulated. The model results confirm that an individual-moving open cell can cause the local significant wave height increase in order of meters within the cell area and especially in a narrow area of 1–2?km at the footprint center of a cell (the cell's diameter is 40–90?km). In a case of a traveling individual open cell with 15?m·s^?1 over a sea surface with a preexisting wind sea of and swell, a local significant wave height increase of 3.5?m is produced. A group of cells for a real storm condition produces a local increase of significant wave height of more than 6?m during a short time window of 10–20?min (cell passing). The sea surface simulation from modeled wave spectra points out the appearance of wave groups including extreme individual waves with a period of about 25?s and a wavelength of more than 350?m under the cell's footprint. This corresponds well with measurement of a rogue wave group with length of about 400?m and a period of near 25?s. This has been registered at FiNO-1 research platform in the North Sea during Britta storm on November 1, 2006 at 04:00 UTC. The results can explain the appearance of rogue waves in the German Bight and can be used for ship safety and coastal protection. Presently, the considered mesoscale gustiness cannot be incorporated in present operational wave forecasting systems, since it needs an update of the wind field at spatial and temporal scales, which is still not available for such applications. However, the scenario simulations for cell structures with appropriate travel speed, observed by optical and radar satellites, can be done and applied for warning messages.     

弹性地基中波阻板对入射Rayleigh波的远场被动隔振研究

针对被保护结构下埋置波阻板的远场被动隔振问题,采用频域弹性边界元法,推导得到了弹性地基中波阻板对入射Rayleigh波散射的边界元方程,在此基础上对波阻板的远场被动隔振效果进行了计算,并对影响波阻板隔振效果的因素进行了分析。研究结果表明:在地基一定深度设置波阻板能够有效降低波阻板上方及后方区域的地面振动;减小波阻板埋深以及增大波阻板厚度均能获得更好的隔振效果;而增加波阻板的剪切模量是提高波阻板被动隔振效果的最有效措施。     

The effectiveness of trenches in reducing seismic motion

The effect of placing barriers in the travel path of P, SV and SH seismic waves has been studied using time-domain solutions of plane-strain finite element programs for two-dimensional crustal models. The wavefields considered propagate parallel to the free surface of an elastic medium consisting of a single layer over a halfspace. Barriers take the form of open-air trenches. Effects of damping are assessed by considering representative viscoelastic conditions. Computations are presented as the ratio of spectral energy observed at a point with the barrier system in place in the model to the spectral energy observed at the same point without the barrier system in the model. These spectral ratios are dependent upon the direction of wave propagation. The calculations brought to light the marked role of surficial layering and attenuation properties of the surface rocks or soils on the effectiveness of seismic trench barriers. Barrier models without these features cannot in general reliably predict seismic wavefields at the surface. In the range of cases studied, trench depth d rather than width is the most sensitive parameter. When the ratio d/λ, the ratio of trench depth to the wavelength of shear waves, is greater than about 0·6, power spectral ratios of 0·06 and less are found for SH waves and the vertical component of SV motion for frequencies of 4–6 Hz. By contrast, for frequencies less than 3–4 Hz, power spectral ratios from unity to about two and greater are observed, indicating amplification for the horizontal component of wave motion. Spectral ratios calculated at some locations in front of the barrier system show over two-fold amplification. Spectral ratios also change significantly with the relative location of the free surface observation point.     

An experimental study of the isolation performance of trenches on ground-borne vibration from underground tunnels

This paper presents a study of the isolation performance of trenches on train-induced ground-bore vibration from underground tunnels. A series of model tests was conducted to perform the study. Both train loads and sinusoidal sweep loads were applied to the model tunnel invert by a shaker. The response of the soil at the surface of the ground was measured by accelerometers. Three types of isolation trenches, i.e., an open trench, an expanded Polystyrene(EPS)-filled trench, and a Duxseal-filled trench, were modelled in the experiment. The results showed that the open trench and the EPS-filled trench increased the dynamic response of the surface soil in front of the trench, but the Duxseal-filled trench had little effect on the dynamic response of the soil on the surface in this area. Although all three types of isolation trenches reduced the response of the soil behind the trench, the open trench and the Duxseal-filled trench were clearly more effective. The test results also showed that, as the excitation frequency increased, the vibration isolation trench was more effective in the near field. The effects of the width, depth, and position of an open trench on isolation performance also were examined in the tests.     

Response of pile foundations to rayleigh waves and obliquely incident body waves

The paper presents results of a study on the harmonic response of piles and pile groups embedded in a halfspace to various forms of seismic waves. These include the Rayleigh wave as well as obliquely incident P, SV and SH waves. The pertinent mixed boundary value problems of pile-soil-pile interaction are solved by a numerical model of the boundary integral nature. All modes of foundation vibrations, i.e. translational, rocking and torsional, are included in the model. The results presented are used to highlight the salient features of the seismic response of piles. In addition, the influence of certain pile-soil parameters, such as pile rigidity and pile spacing, on the seismic behaviour of pile foundations is investigated.     

三维层状地基空沟主动隔振分析

基于薄层法在研究层状介质中波的传播问题的高效性、边界单元法处理无限域问题的精确性,结合二者的优点提出三维层状地基薄层法基本解答,建立了基于三维层状半空间薄层法位移基本解答的半解析动力边界元法。该方法可有效的分析多层场地的动力问题,解决土-结构动力相互作用问题。同时分别对粘弹性上软下硬地基及上硬下软地基的三维空沟主动隔振进行了详细的分析。结果表明,两种情况下采用空沟屏障隔振均可以取得一定的隔振效果;同时,地基分层参数对空沟隔振体系的隔振效果影响显著。     

Vibration isolation by trenches in continuously nonhomogeneous soil by the BEM

Vibration isolation of structures from ground-transmitted waves by open trenches in isotropic, linearly elastic or viscoelastic soil with a shear modulus varying continuously with depth is numerically studied. Both an exponential and a linear shear modulus variation with depth are used in this work. Waves produced by the harmonic motion of a rigid surface machine foundation are considered. The problem is solved by the frequency domain boundary element method employing the Green's function of Kausel-Peek-Hull for a thin layered half-space. Thus only the trench perimeter and the soil-foundation interface need essentially to be discretized. The proposed methodology is first tested for accuracy by solving two Rayleigh wave propagation problems in nonhomogeneous soil with known analytical solutions and/or for which experimental results are available. Then the method is applied to vibration isolation problems and the effect of the inhomogeneity on the wave screening effectiveness of trenches is studied.     

Wave barrier of lime–cement columns against train-induced ground-borne vibrations

This paper presents a comparison between measured train-induced ground vibrations in the free-field before and after countermeasures had been taken at Kåhög near Gothenburg in Sweden. A wave barrier of lime–cement columns was constructed parallel to the railway in order to reduce the ground-borne vibrations inside nearby buildings. On top of the barrier an embankment was built to reduce air-borne vibrations. Due to the wave barrier design, part of the energy content of the waves was expected to be reflected by the screen and transmitted energy was expected to be partly scattered. Contribution from the noise-embankment was not thought likely but could not be ruled out due to its fairly large mass and its close proximity to the railway. The effect of the mitigating measures resulted in a 67% reduction of the maximum particle velocity at 30 m and 41% at 60 m from the railway. A simple two-dimensional finite element model has been used to study the relative importance of the wave barrier and the noise-embankment as contributors to the mitigation recorded of the ground vibrations in the field. It is concluded with respect to ground vibrations that both the barrier and the embankment had a mitigating effect but that the contribution from the barrier dominated. Furthermore, it is seen from the field results as well as the simulation that the effect of the mitigating action is reduced with increasing distance from the railway.     

Asymptotic analysis of hard wave barriers in soil

A simple analytical model is developed to predict the vibration isolation of a hard wave barrier (e.g. filled trench, screen of piles, etc.). The model is, moreover, restricted to asymptotic conditions of high frequencies and soft soils. While the soil's surface wavelength is therefore short, ‘barrier hardness’ implies much longer wavelengths downward along the barrier itself. These conditions permit a number of approximations: the distributed excitation of the barrier by the surface waves is replaced by a concentrated force; the energy passing underneath the barrier is ignored in favor of that re-radiated by the barrier motion itself; and that radiation is approximated as if the barrier were rigid and semi-infinite. Subsurface soil-barrier interaction is accounted for in the barrier dynamic stiffness; both single degree-of-freedom and flexible models are considered. Successful comparisons are made to numerical results from the literature, as well as field measurements near a railway track.