Flexural wave propagation in periodic tunnels with elastic foundations

In order to meet the needs of vibration reduction in complex vibration environments, one-dimensional phononic crystals constituted with periodic tunnels on elastic foundations are proposed. The governing equations of the flexural wave in a periodic structure are established based on Euler beam theory and its band structure is calculated by the plane wave expansion method. The theoretical and numerical results show that there are distinct forbidden bands and pass bands when the flexural wave propagates in the periodic tunnel structure. The elastic foundation stiffness, elastic modulus ratio, and axial prestress have significant effects on the location and width of the band gap. The results of the paper could be used for the vibration mitigation of the tunnel structure.