First Full-Scale 2D Field Experiment on Semi-Embedded Rubber Column Metamaterials: Enhanced Attenuation of Love Waves and Mechanistic Insights

Highlights: What are the main findings? This study conducts the first full-scale 2D field experiment to validate semi-embedded rubber column metamaterials (SEM) for seismic wave attenuation, revealing a global bandgap of 25–37 Hz and a localized bandgap of 37–42 Hz; at the central frequency of 31 Hz, SEM achieves −9.3 dB attenuation for Love waves and −5.3 dB for Rayleigh waves, with a notably more pronounced mitigation effect on Love waves. Theoretical and experimental analyses identify SEM’s unique energy dissipation mechanism: the exposed above-ground sections of rubber resonators dominate energy absorption via resonant oscillations, while the buried underground segments intro-duce damping that partially diminishes surface wave attenuation; additionally, low-er damping is correlated with enhanced surface wave attenuation. This research fills critical gaps: it addresses the lack of understanding regarding SEM’s real-world performance in mitigating different surface seismic waves, and specifically compensates for the long-standing shortage of field data on Love wave mitigation. What are the implications of the main findings? For engineering applications, the findings provide valuable references for the practi-cal use of SEM in seismic protection systems, and offer actionable guidelines for flexi-ble resonator design—prioritizing damping characteristics to enhance attenuation efficiency, a point unreported in previous simulation or laboratory-based SEM stud-ies. For academic research, this pioneering full-scale 2D on-site validation bridges the gap between simulation-based predictions and practical seismic protection systems, lay-ing a foundation for future related studies on seismic metamaterials. For infrastructure protection, the results support the development of deployable and cost-effective seismic shields for vulnerable infrastructure (e.g., bridges, skyscrap-ers)—structures highly at risk from Love waves—strengthening their resilience against destructive seismic surface waves. Despite recent numerical simulations and limited laboratory studies highlighting the potential of semi-embedded seismic metamaterials (SEM) in attenuating Rayleigh waves, their real-world effectiveness remains unverified, particularly for Love waves. Love waves pose significant destructive risks to slender structures but have rarely been the focus of research. To address this gap, we present the first full-scale 2D field experiment on an SEM composed of an array of semi-embedded rubber column resonators. The experimental results reveal a global bandgap spanning 25–37 Hz and a localized bandgap at 37–42 Hz. At the central frequency of the global bandgap (f₀ = 31 Hz), the attenuation reaches −9.3 dB for Love waves and −5.3 dB for Rayleigh waves, with the mitigation of Love waves being notably pronounced. Furthermore, our theoretical and experimental analyses provide novel mechanistic insights: the primary energy dissipation in flexible rubber resonators arises from the resonance of their exposed above-ground sections, while the underground buried parts introduce damping that moderately reduces the efficiency of surface wave attenuation. This pioneering full-scale on-site validation bridges the critical gap between simulation-based predictions and practical seismic protection systems, providing valuable reference for the engineering application of SEM, especially for mitigating destructive waves.