Two-dimensional numerical approach for the vibration isolation analysis of thin walled wave barriers in poroelastic soils

This paper is concerned with the vibration isolation efficiency analysis of total or partially buried thin walled wave barriers in poroelastic soils. A two-dimensional time harmonic model that treats soils and structures in a direct way by combining appropriately the conventional Boundary Element Method (BEM), the Dual BEM (DBEM) and the Finite Element Method (FEM) is developed to this aim. The wave barriers are impinged by Rayleigh waves obtained from Biot's poroelasticity equations assuming a permeable free-surface. The suitability of the proposed model is justified by comparison with available previous results. The vibration isolation efficiency of three kinds of wave barriers (open trench, simple wall, open trench-wall) in poroelastic soils is studied by varying their geometry, the soil properties and the frequency. It is found that the efficiency of these wave barriers behaves similarly to these in elastic soils, except for high porosities and small dissipation coefficients. The efficiency of open trench-wall barriers can be evaluated neglecting their walls if they are typical sheet piles. This does not happen with walls of bigger cross-sections, leading in general to efficiency losses. Likewise, increasing the burial depth to trench depth ratio has a negative impact on the efficiency.