Elastic metamaterial-based seismic shield for both Lamb and surface waves

Controlling the propagation of seismic waves to protect critical infrastructure via metamaterial is of new topical interest. This approach can be implemented by remote shielding of incoming waves rather than with vibration isolating structures. In this paper, a two-dimensional elastic metamaterial with periodically square concrete-filled steel piles embedded in soil is proposed to achieve a seismic shield for guided Lamb waves and surface waves. Its properties are numerically investigated using the finite element method. For Lamb waves, we first identify complete bandgaps appearing in a periodic composite with cylindrical piles. By comparison, it is found that if the shape of the pile is replaced with the square shape, the bandgaps become wider and shift to the lower frequencies, which is more suitable for practical applications. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that a complete low frequency bandgap also exists for surface waves. The vibration modes for both types of waves at the bandgap edges are computed and analyzed to clarify the mechanism of the bandgap generation. The study focuses on realistic structures that can be effective in the frequency ranges for seismic waves. Although we have focused on the geophysical setting, elastic waves are also very important in applications involving acoustic wave devices.