Mitigation of traffic vibrations with trenches: some preliminary findings towards a sustainable retrofitting of urban streets

Concerns are rising regarding vibrations induced by urban traffic, particularly due to the disturbance felt by residents and potential harm to historical structures. To address this, various strategies are being explored to either minimize vibration at its source or dampen its transmission through roads and soil layers. One promising solution involves the implementation of anti-vibration trenches to mitigate the impact of heavy traffic vibrations. This paper introduces an innovative numerical model for predicting vibrations, which could aid in designing such mitigation measures. After calibrating and validating the model against experimental data from technical literature, initial findings from testing different materials and trench configurations are discussed. It is recognized that assessing vibrations in the frequency domain could be a valuable approach for retrofitting existing urban roads affected by this issue.