Performance Evaluation of Seismic Stopper using Structural Analysis and AC156 Test Method

Recently, studies have been actively conducted on seismic design and improvement of the seismic performance of bridges, buildings, factories, and plants. In particular, heavy items that are being manufactured or waiting to be shipped from factories (such as generators, engines, and boilers) must be equipped with seismic stoppers to prevent them from moving or falling during an earthquake. Seismic stoppers should be suitably determined by the size and weight of these heavy items; however, they have no general design standard. In this study, structural analyses and seismic tests were conducted to evaluate the performance of newly designed seismic stoppers. Structural analysis was performed on three stopper models to estimate the external load at which the yield stress of the material was not exceeded. Based on the analysis results, a seismic test of the stopper was carried out in accordance with the AC156 test method. Finally, product specifications for all three seismic stopper models were determined and their static/dynamic load performance was evaluated.