REsonant Metamaterials for Train-Induced ground vibration mitigation

REMoTIon proposes an innovative Compact Resonant Wave Barrier (CRWB) to mitigate railway-induced ground vibrations.

Engineering implementation of current pile barriers is limited due to their large dimensions, especially in city centers.

Instead, by exploiting the locally resonant metamaterials concept, the proposed research framework allows for designing barriers with practical engineering dimensions.

The main research objectives of the project include: (i) analytical design of CRWB guided by dispersion laws by employing Multiple Scattering theory, (ii) numerical design and optimization of CRWB exploiting a mixed wave finite element method and machine learning technique, and (iii) fabrication and testing of CRWB on the field.

The development of the REMoTIon project demands a multidisciplinary approach that can be guided through a multi-phase learning journey at three academic institutions involved: PennState University (18-months outgoing phase, supervisor Prof. Shokouhi, expert in wave propagation and machine learning), KU Leuven (6-months secondment phase, supervisor Prof.

Degrande, expert in train-induced vibrations), University of Bologna (12-months return phase, supervisor Prof. Marzani expert in surface wave measurement, material testing, and prototyping).

Under the guidance of these experts, new expertise in ground-borne vibration abatement, wave propagation in heterogeneous soil, machine learning, and signal processing will be achieved through a high-level training-through-research framework.

Attending training courses, publishing research results in top international journals, and obtaining new transversal skills will reinforce my career and put me in a privileged place for a tenured researcher position in EU academia working on metamaterials. The REMoTIon project will be organized into 6 work packages (WPs).

WP1 to WP3 will cover the objectives, while WP4 to WP6 will include the research training, exploitation/dissemination, and project management phases.