Functionally Graded Materials Pile Structure for Seismic Noise Cancellation

Abstract

This study explores surface-wave propagation through periodic arrangements of multilayered piles in a single-layer soil medium from the viewpoint of bandgaps. The influence of the geometrical parameters of the model on the bandgaps is discussed. The periodic theory of solid-state physics is imposed to derive the dispersion equation. The finite-element method is implemented to calculate the dispersion relation and attenuation zones for surface waves in a periodic pile and soil system. The results show that the bandgaps are sensitive to the size and arrangement of the piles. The practicability of ground vibration-isolation by periodic pile barriers are verified in the time domain. The location and width of bandgaps are further authenticated through finite unit cell–based frequency response analyses. It is found that the frequency range of the Rayleigh wave reduction agrees well with the theoretical attenuation zone. This work provides new insights into the design of periodic piles as wave barriers. This approach has scope for protecting infrastructures, such as nuclear power plants, which pose high environmental risks. It is found that the dispersion analysis gives essential information for Rayleigh wave isolation using piles, including the frequency range and the form of decline.