Ground Vibration Attenuation Induced by Gabion and Concrete Mats

ABSTRACT This paper presents a numerical investigation of the ground vibration attenuation promoted by gabion and concrete mats. The analyses employ a coupled boundary‐finite element model, in which the mat is modeled as a flexible plate in fully bonded contact with the surface of an unbounded, linear‐elastic half‐space representing the soil. This boundary‐element based model enables a detailed representation of the wave scattering resulting from the interaction between the mat and the soil. Extensive numerical results are provided, assessing the attenuation performance of gabion and concrete mats for horizontal and vertical vibrations at various target points. The study considers seismic and external load excitation, and considers constitutive and geometric parameters that have direct applications in engineering practice. The results show that mats can be selected to provide dramatic attenuation of ground motion, reaching up to 40 dB. The study offers valuable insights on how relatively inexpensive devices such as gabion and concrete mats can be used to protect vibration‐sensitive structures.