Theory and experiments for seismic waves propagating within an array of clamped inclusions in a soft matrix

We validate the concept of large scale clamped metamaterials with surface seismic waves propagating in a tank filled with a soft soil (granular medium). When cylindrical inclusions are clamped to the bottom of the tank, any incident wave on the network of inclusions should be reflected in the low frequency regime according to homogenization theory for singularly perturbed problems. However, the singular perturbation theory which is based on the analysis of the spectral properties of the Navier operator for a non-dissipative isotropic periodic elastic linear medium will be affected by the fact that the medium is granular. Our experimental setup should be a proof of concept of a seismic shield at the meter scale.