Takemiya H., Chen F., Shimabuku J.

Ground vibrations induced by traffic viaduct have been dealt with in view of the viaduct-soil interaction under the passage of vehicles. First, the field experimental measurements at a soft soil site are interpreted based on the wave propagation theory. The observed data for the test runs case by using a heavy vehicle and for the normal traffic flow are elaborated in the frequency contents. Based on the observed data at the viaduct foundation, the vibration is computed for the nearby ground surface, with the information, separately obtained from the substructure-ground interaction FEM model. This hybrid prediction is evaluated in comparison with the measured data. Secondly, the vibration mitigation is attempted by taking the WIB (Wave Impeding Barrier) around the vibration emitting foundation. The WIB configuration is originally assumed as honeycomb-cells whose design properties are based on the information of the above site characteristics. The 3-dimensional analysis has been conducted by the substructure method for the foundation-ground interaction system. Then, for more computational convenience it is approximated by an equivalent multiple ring walls to surround the foundation. The present work demonstrates that the response reduction is expected more than several dB even by using the honeycomb shaped WIB as well as the ring shaped WIB models.