Seismic meta-foundations with imperfect interfaces

Abstract

Seismic wave isolation through layered meta-foundations is an emerging area of research, driven by its intrinsic theoretical significance and potential practical applications. To date, the complexities associated with imperfect interfaces have often been overlooked in the development of analytical frameworks, which tend to prioritize simple yet effective closed-form dispersion laws. This work provides a further step toward the analytical study of meta-foundations under real-world conditions by incorporating the effects of imperfect interfaces. Our developed framework demonstrates that accounting for interface effects markedly enhances ultra-low-frequency wave attenuation in meta-foundations, as revealed through complex dispersion analysis and verified by transmission analysis of finite-sized meta-foundations. This enhancement is achieved by modifying the stiffness and mass of the interfaces, which affects both the location and width of frequency attenuation zones (AZs) and improves wave attenuation within these frequency domains. Overall, our meta-foundations that incorporate interface effects demonstrate superior performance compared to traditional meta-foundations. This study offers a practical analytical model for meta-foundations and explores the effects of interface imperfections on their dynamic properties, paving the way for further advancements in the design of novel meta-foundations with artificial interfaces.