A seismic wave shield for protecting an area from seismic vibrations and a method of shielding an area from seismic waves by installing a seismic wave shield. The seismic wave shield comprises a set of columns embedded in regolith and in contact with bedrock. There is a material contrast between a material forming the columns and the regolith.

A seismic wave shield for protecting an area from seismic vibrations and a method of shielding an area from seismic waves by installing a seismic wave shield. The seismic wave shield comprises a set of columns embedded in regolith and in contact with bedrock. There is a material contrast between a material forming the columns and the regolith.

Systems and methods for soil improvement foundation isolation and load spreading are provided. The systems and methods provided herein relate to isolation of structural foundations from soil improvement elements and distributing stress from high stiffness elements to lower stiffness materials. A shear load transfer reduction system may include one or more ground improvement elements for supporting an applied load. A shear break element may be positioned above one or more ground improvement elements. The shear break elements may be configured to have low interface shear strength. Further, systems and methods are provided for creating an engineered slip surface for reducing shear stresses between a laterally loaded foundation and a rigid foundation support element and wherein two slip pads are provided that form the engineered slip surface.

Systems and methods for soil improvement foundation isolation and load spreading are provided. The systems and methods provided herein relate to isolation of structural foundations from soil improvement elements and distributing stress from high stiffness elements to lower stiffness materials. A shear load transfer reduction system may include one or more ground improvement elements for supporting an applied load. A shear break element may be positioned above one or more ground improvement elements. The shear break elements may be configured to have low interface shear strength. Further, systems and methods are provided for creating an engineered slip surface for reducing shear stresses between a laterally loaded foundation and a rigid foundation support element and wherein two slip pads are provided that form the engineered slip surface.

Systems, methods, and apparatus are disclosed involving scour protection of undersea monument foundations, such as monopile foundations. A preferred embodiment comprises an Advanced Ecological Scour Protection System (AESPS) that enhances offshore scour protection through an innovative combination of eco-friendly engineering units and natural materials. In a preferred embodiment, an AESPS includes two main features comprising a single-layer rock blanket deployed first at an intended site of the foundation, followed by installation of fronded eco-concrete mattress units to form a peripheral ring border around the rock blanket. The foundation then may be installed directly into and through the rock blanket, with a monument installed on the foundation, and an export cable extending from the monument, over the mattress units, and through the fronds. Such an AESPS may eliminate critical risks of secondary scour damage, cable lateral movement, and marine life deterioration.

Systems, methods, and apparatus are disclosed involving scour protection of undersea monument foundations, such as monopile foundations. A preferred embodiment comprises an Advanced Ecological Scour Protection System (AESPS) that enhances offshore scour protection through an innovative combination of eco-friendly engineering units and natural materials. In a preferred embodiment, an AESPS includes two main features comprising a single-layer rock blanket deployed first at an intended site of the foundation, followed by installation of fronded eco-concrete mattress units to form a peripheral ring border around the rock blanket. The foundation then may be installed directly into and through the rock blanket, with a monument installed on the foundation, and an export cable extending from the monument, over the mattress units, and through the fronds. Such an AESPS may eliminate critical risks of secondary scour damage, cable lateral movement, and marine life deterioration.

Methods including providing a hydrajetting tool comprising a housing having a top end and a bottom end and having a plurality of jetting nozzles disposed thereon, the top end of the housing fluidly coupled to a tool string; providing at least one sub-soil-surface cavity adjacent to or in unstable soil, the unstable soil having a plurality of channels therein; introducing the hydrajetting tool into the at least one sub-soil-surface cavity; injecting a cement slurry through at least one of the jetting nozzles and into the sub-soil-surface cavity; permeating the cement slurry into the plurality of channels in the unstable soil; filling the at least one sub-soil-surface cavity with the cement slurry; and curing the cement slurry, thereby forming a stable soil and a cement pillar in the at least one sub-soil-surface cavity.

Methods including providing a hydrajetting tool comprising a housing having a top end and a bottom end and having a plurality of jetting nozzles disposed thereon, the top end of the housing fluidly coupled to a tool string; providing at least one sub-soil-surface cavity adjacent to or in unstable soil, the unstable soil having a plurality of channels therein; introducing the hydrajetting tool into the at least one sub-soil-surface cavity; injecting a cement slurry through at least one of the jetting nozzles and into the sub-soil-surface cavity; permeating the cement slurry into the plurality of channels in the unstable soil; filling the at least one sub-soil-surface cavity with the cement slurry; and curing the cement slurry, thereby forming a stable soil and a cement pillar in the at least one sub-soil-surface cavity.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for energy absorption and vibrational dampening in a horizontal plane. According to a first preferred embodiment, the present invention discloses an apparatus for damping vibration of a pole which includes a housing with a horizontal floor having an inward curved surface for achieving vibration attenuation at a middle portion thereof to form an enclosed chamber. According to a further aspect of the first embodiment, at least one damping weight is preferably disposed in the inward curved surface and is preferably substantially spherical in shape. According to a further preferred embodiment, at least one dampening weight of the present may preferably include a hollow, inner cavity. According to further aspects of the present invention, the dampening weight preferably may further include a granular material located within the inner cavity.

Disclosed is an inverted fastening mortise structure of building for resisting an earthquake, strong wind or tsunami and technical procedure thereof. The adopted inverted fastening mortise makes mortises ring lie in dividing space between ground ring beam of building and foundation ground and makes building press and composite suspended in patand. The inverted fastening mortise structure like a sleeping dragon eliminates earthquake, wind and tide, including longitudinal and transverse waves in the aspect of direction of earthquake waves, sectional wave, swing wave and crawling wave in the aspect of shape, the promotion of wind moment of combined wind and horizontally pushing of tsunami wave. The inverted fastening mortise structure eliminates the destroy to building in the process of displacement of building and foundation by control the disaster energy of the three disasters.