Mitigation of high-speed train induced surface vibrations by open trench with aerated concrete panel walls

•In-situ measurements were made under non-isolated and isolated site conditions.•A special wave barrier was designed for optimum passive isolation model.•The surface wave propagation in the most unfavorable geotechnical conditions.•The vibration isolation performance of open barrier with aerated concrete wall.•Evaluation of vibrations in buildings in terms of velocity level and insertion loss. The aim of this study is to examine the vibration behavior of a special test building close to the high-speed railway line. The surface wave propagation in the most unfavorable geotechnical conditions produced by the moving load source under passively isolated and non-isolated site conditions. For this purpose, special prefabricated panels with low impedance were used to be placed in the trench. Isolation effectiveness of open trench with thin aerated concrete walls is studied on structural response and free-field surface ground vibrations. An important isolation performance of up to 12 dB was obtained only at the half-wavelength depth of excavation.