Mitigation of high-speed trains vibrations by expanded polystyrene blocks in railway embankmentsMitigation of high-speed trains vibrations by expanded polystyrene blocks in railway embankments Peer-Reviewed Journal Publication Δημοσίευση σε Περιοδικό με Κριτές 2021-04-062020enThe vibrations induced by the passage of high-speed trains (HSTs) are considered a crucial issue in the field of environmental and geotechnical engineering. Several wave barriers have been investigated to reduce the detrimental effects of HST-induced vibrations. This study is focused on the potential implementation of an innovative mitigation technique to alleviate the developed vibrations. In particular, the use of expanded polystyrene (EPS) blocks as partial fill material of embankment slopes was examined. The efficiency of the proposed mitigation technique was numerically investigated. More specifically, a 3D soil-track model was developed to study the cross-section of a railway track, embankment, and the underlying soil layers. The passage of the HST, Thalys, was simulated using a moving load method, and the soil response was calculated at several distances from the track. Several parameters influenced the effectiveness of the examined mitigation measure. Therefore, to ensure an optimal design, a robust procedure is necessary which considers the impact of these factors. Hence, the implementation of EPS blocks on several embankments with different geometry, in terms of height and slope angle, was investigated.Project supported by Greece and the European Union (European Social Fund) through the Operational Programme “Human Resources Development, Education, and Lifelong Learning 2014–2020” in the Context of the Project “Strengthening Human Resources Research Potential via Doctorate Research–2nd Cycle” (No. MIS 5000432)Έργο με συγχρηματοδότηση από την Ελλάδα και την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση (Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινωνικό Ταμείο) στα πλαίσια του Επιχειρησιακού Προγράμματος «Ανάπτυξη Ανθρώπινου Δυναμικού, Εκπαίδευση και Δια βίου Μάθηση 2014-2020», Πράξη «Ενίσχυση του ανθρώπινου ερευνητικού δυναμικού μέσω της υλοποίησης διδακτορικής έρευνας - 2ος κύκλος» (MIS 5000432)http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Journal of Zhejiang University Science A2216-20 Lyratzakis Alexandros Λυρατζακης Αλεξανδρος Tsompanakis Ioannis Τσομπανακης Ιωαννης Psarropoulos Prodromos N. Zhejiang University Springer Nature High-speed railways (HSRs) High-speed trains (HSTs) Traffic-induced vibrations Mitigation measures Expanded polystyrene (EPS)