Laboratory Test Measurement of Material Attenuation of Shear Waves Propagating in Sand

Abstract

The material attenuation characteristics of the ground, which are necessary for predicting the propagation of vibrations in the ground, were obtained through laboratory tests using cylindrical specimens. Shear waves were focused on as the vibration propagating in the ground, and multiple pulses of vibration were generated by electrical excitation, and the amplitude attenuation was evaluated by discrete Fourier transform of the vibration at both ends of the specimen. The frequency-independent material attenuation constant α₀=πη/V was measured from the wavenumber conversion of the propagation distance and amplitude ratio. As the ground material, dry silica sand No. 4, No. 8, and sample sand from a field conducted in Abira, Hokkaido, Japan, were used. The test results of the sample sand were compared with the results of vibration propagation field test.