Effects of open trench siding on vibration-screening effectiveness using the two-dimensional boundary element method

The two-dimensional boundary element method in frequency domain is used to investigate the screening effectiveness of the open trench–wall barrier system on reducing vibration generated by a footing. Sheet piles or diaphragm walls are on both sides of the open trench as a vibration barrier in this study. The results showed that screening effectiveness of the open trench without siding is greater than that of the open trench–wall barrier system, which is essential for stabilizing the excavation surface in practice. The trench depth of the barrier system appears to govern the screening efficiency of the barrier, and increase in depth results in better vibration-screening effectiveness. The influence of the open trench width, the embedded length of the trench wall and the distance between the vibration source and the barrier are proven to be insignificant. The screening effectiveness of an open trench barrier with walls increases with the frequency of the vibration.