Ultra-wide band gap metasurfaces for controlling seismic surface waves

Abstract

Metamaterials have been widely studied for their advantage in the effective control of the propagation of mechanical waves. However, existing methods are limited in controlling the propagation of seismic surface waves and hardly are put in practical engineering applications. To overcome this limitation, we introduce a new type of metasurface with ultra-wide band gaps for controlling the seismic surface waves, which can be further applied to engineering applications. The metasurface is designed by using an easy and simple method named the destructive interference, rather than the local resonance observed in previous methods. Furthermore, the designed unit structure can construct a periodic structure by using the functional gradient design and combination arrangement, which results in hitherto better or even unprecedented performance in controlling the propagation of seismic surface waves. Moreover, the proposed metasurface provides new opportunities for practical engineering applications, as demonstrated by the metabridge can effectively protect the bridge from the damage of earthquakes.