Evaluation of open and filled (TDA and RSM) trenches efficacy on vibration screening caused by transient loads

Forging hammer machine foundation is subjected to multiple consecutive transient or impact loads during operation which results in a powerful dynamic effect that transmits to the surroundings in the form of unwanted vibration thus affecting workers, other sensitive equipment, and/or adjacent residential areas. Previous studies incorporated open and filled trenches to mitigate the ground vibrations caused by harmonic loads. However, studies pertaining to precisely evaluate the vibration isolation performance of trenches in presence of transient loads are limited, and no attempt has been made to evaluate the use of tire-derived aggregates (TDA) and rubber-sand mixtures (RSM) as filling materials. This paper aims at investigating the potential of using the TDA and RSM barriers to reduce vibration caused by transient or pulse loads. Abaqus software was used to perform two-dimensional (2D) finite element modelling for checking the efficiency of open and filled trenches. The model was first calibrated by comparing the results under harmonic loading conditions with the previous literature. The calibrated model was further employed to evaluate different trench parameters, such as depth, width and distance from source to the barrier, upon shielding vibrations. Additionally, a multi-trench isolation system was simulated, and its performance was evaluated by comparing it with a single barrier. The results showed that the TDA and RSM barriers effectively reduces the vibration induced by pulse loading. The difference in vibration screening efficiency between open and filled TDA trenches was recorded as 10%. Moreover, the results indicated that the multiple trenches are preferred alternative owing to their capability of attenuating vibration more effectively in comparison to the single barrier.