Two-dimensional elastic bandgap crystal to attenuate surface waves

Experiments on the attenuation of Rayleigh waves in a marble quarry by a pe riodic array of cylindrical holes, in a honeycomb and in a triangular distr ibution, are reported. The results are explained in terms of elastic wave c rystals (EWC's), and compared to theoretical calculations performed with sc alar waves. The scaling property of the underlying theory has led us to exp lore the possible application of the results obtained to the attenuation of surface waves in seismic movements.