• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.375-393
• /
• 2006

Under high velocity, pulse type near source earthquakes semi-active control systems are very effective in reducing seismic response base isolated structures. Semi-active control systems can be classified as: 1) independently variable stiffness, 2) independently variable damping, and 3) combined variable stiffness and damping systems. Several researchers have studied the effectiveness of independently varying damping systems for seismic response reduction of base isolated structures. In this study effectiveness of a combined system consisting of a semi-active independently variable stiffness (SAIVS) device and a magnetorheological (MR) damper in reducing seismic response of base isolated structures is analytically investigated. The SAIVS device can vary the stiffness, and hence the period, of the isolation system; whereas, the MR damper enhances the energy dissipation characteristics of the isolation system. Two separate control algorithms, i.e., a nonlinear tangential stiffness moving average control algorithm for smooth switching of the SAIVS device and a Lyapunov based control algorithm for damping variation of MR damper, are developed. Single and multi degree of freedom systems consisting of sliding base isolation system and both the SAIVS device and MR damper are considered. Results are presented in the form of nonlinear response spectra, and effectiveness of combined variable stiffness and variable damping system in reducing seismic response of sliding base isolated structures is evaluated. It is shown that the combined variable stiffness and variable damping system leads to significant response reduction over cases with variable stiffness or variable damping systems acting independently, over a broad period range.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2000.10a
• /
• pp.432-439
• /
• 2000

According as ground acceleration becomes to exceed gravity acceleration recently, design is impossible or economical efficiency is poor in existing seismic design method. So increase of seismic isolated bridges is currently in progress. However, because base isolation design method is developed in high seismic regions. it may not be compatible in Korea. Therefore, this research has objective to evaluate ductility of pier and response modification factor according to the ductility of pier in seismic isolated bridges and to adapt to seismic characteristics in Korea. For this purpose, nonlinear analysis is accomplished with so many time histories derived from spectral density function compatible with response spectrum described in the design code and base isolation system modeled linear system, bi-linear system, and friction system. Through application of the proposed method, we had result that it may be compatible that response modification factor for the seismic isolated bridges is smaller than half of that for the conventional bridges when natural period of structures exceeds proper level.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 1999.10a
• /
• pp.351-358
• /
• 1999

The base-isolation technology is to set up LRB between the base of a building and the ground to protect the building from seismic force. As Korea belongs to the region of moderate or weak seismicity it is more resonable to apply the base-isolation technology of LRB in the field of the response reduction of equipments under machine or transportation vibrations than in the field of seismic response reduction of buildings, In this paper small-scale LRB's designed for the response reduction of equipments are manufactured and tested for thier performance. The shaking table test is conducted to analyze the characteristics of LRB such as the variation of natural frequencies damping ratios and equipments responses.

• Journal of Korean Association for Spatial Structures
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.37-44
• /
• 2018

A base isolation system is widely used to reduce seismic responses of low-rise buildings. This system cannot be effectively applied to high-rise buildings because the initial stiffness of the high-rise building with the base isolation system maintains almost the same as the building without the base isolation system to set the yield shear force of the base isolation system larger than the design wind load. To solve this problem, the mid-story isolation system was proposed and applied to many buildings. The mid-story isolation system has two major objectives; first to reduce peak story drift and second to reduce peak drift of the isolation story. Usually, these two objectives are in conflict. In this study, a hybrid mid-story isolation system for a tall building is proposed. A MR (magnetorheological) damper was used to develop the hybrid mid-story isolation system. An existing building with mid-story isolation system, that is "Shiodome Sumitomo Building" a high rise building having a large atrium in the lower levels, was used for control performance evaluation of the hybrid mid-story isolation system. Fuzzy logic controller and genetic algorithm were used to develop the control algorithm for the hybrid mid-story isolation system. It can be seen from analytical results that the hybrid mid-story isolation system can provide better control performance than the ordinary mid-story isolation system and the design process developed in this study is useful for preliminary design of the hybrid mid-story isolation system for a tall building.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.285-296
• /
• 2017

Base isolation is a quite practical control strategy for enhancing the response of structural systems induced by strong ground motions. Due to the dynamic effects of base isolation systems, reduction in the interstory drifts of the superstructure is often achieved at the expense of high base displacement level, which may lead to instability of the structure or non-practical designs for the base isolators. To reduce the base displacement, several hybrid structural control strategies have been studied over the past decades. This study investigates a particular strategy that employs Tuned Mass Dampers (TMDs) for improving the performance of base-isolated structures and unlike previous studies, specifically focuses on the effectiveness of this hybrid control strategy in structures that are equipped with nonlinear base isolation systems. To consider the nonlinearities of base isolation systems, a Bouc-Wen model is selected and nonlinear dynamic OpenSees models are used to perform several time-history simulations in time and frequency domains. Through these numerical simulations, the effects of several parameters such as the fundamental period of the structure, dynamic properties of the TMD and isolation systems and properties of the input ground motion on the behaviour of TMD-structure-base isolation systems are examined. The results of this study provide a better insight into the performance of linear shear-story structures with nonlinear base isolators and show that there are many scenarios in which TMDs can still improve the performance of these systems.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.7 no.6
• /
• pp.1187-1221
• /
• 2014

The uplifting and rocking of slender, free-standing structures when subjected to ground shaking may limit appreciably the seismic moments and shears that develop at their base. This high-performance seismic behavior is inherent in the design of ancient temples with emblematic peristyles that consist of slender, free-standing columns which support freely heavy epistyles together with the even heavier frieze atop. While the ample seismic performance of rocking isolation has been documented with the through-the-centuries survival of several free-standing ancient temples; and careful post-earthquake observations in Japan during the 1940's suggested that the increasing size of slender free-standing tombstones enhances their seismic stability; it was George Housner who 50 years ago elucidated a size-frequency scale effect that explained the "counter intuitive" seismic stability of tall, slender rocking structures. Housner's 1963 seminal paper marks the beginning of a series of systematic studies on the dynamic response and stability of rocking structures which gradually led to the development of rocking isolation-an attractive practical alternative for the seismic protection of tall, slender structures. This paper builds upon selected contributions published during this last half-century in an effort to bring forward the major advances together with the unique advantages of rocking isolation. The paper concludes that the concept of rocking isolation by intentionally designing a hinging mechanism that its seismic resistance originates primarily from the mobilization of the rotational inertia of its members is a unique seismic protection strategy for large, slender structures not just at the limit-state but also at the operational state.

• Earthquakes and Structures
• /
• v.5 no.5
• /
• pp.499-526
• /
• 2013

Seismic isolation is an effective method for the protection of buildings and their contents during strong earthquakes. This research work aims to assess the appropriateness of the linear and nonlinear models that can be used in the analysis of typical low-rise base isolated steel buildings, taking into account the inherent nonlinearities of the isolation system as well as the potential nonlinearities of the superstructure in case of strong ground motions. The accuracy of the linearization of the isolator properties according to Eurocode 8 is evaluated comparatively with the corresponding response that can be obtained through the nonlinear hysteretic Bouc-Wen constitutive model. The suitability of the linearized model in the determination of the size of the required seismic gap is assessed, under various earthquake intensities, considering relevant methods that are provided by building codes. Furthermore, the validity of the common assumption of elastic behavior for the superstructure is explored and the alteration of the structural response due to the inelastic deformations of the superstructure as a consequence of potential collision to the restraining moat wall is studied. The usage of a nonlinear model for the isolation system is found to be necessary in order to achieve a sufficiently accurate assessment of the structural response and a reliable estimation of the required width of the provided seismic gap. Moreover, the simulations reveal that the superstructure's inelasticity should be taken into account, especially if the response of the structure under high magnitude earthquakes is investigated. The consideration of the inelasticity of the superstructure is also recommended in studies of structural collision of seismically isolated structures to the surrounding moat wall, since it affects the response.

• Journal of KSNVE
• /
• v.7 no.4
• /
• pp.655-661
• /
• 1997

Base-isolation of a primary structure generally decrete the seismic response of its own and the secondary structure. It may cause an adverse effect on the seismic response of secondary system when the system is submerged and subject to a considerable hydrodynamic effect. In this paper, it is shown how, and how much, the base isolation of the primary structure can affect the secondary system response in extreme cases through dynamic analysis of a simplified coupled model for a submerged secondary system and a base-isolated primary structure. As an aseismatic design approach to reduce the response of the submerged system, optimization of the fluid gap, which controls the hydrodynamic mass effect, is performed. As an alternative approach in case where the control of fluid gap is unrealistic, application of base isolation to the submerged system is suggested. Effectiveness of various combinations of the primary base and secondary base isolations are compared.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.49 no.4
• /
• pp.825-837
• /
• 2017

Due to the severe impacts of recent earthquakes, the use of seismic isolation is paramount for the safety of nuclear structures. The diversity observed in seismic events demands ongoing research to analyze the devastating attributes involved, and hence to enhance the sustainability of base-isolated nuclear power plants. This study reports the seismic performance of a seismically-isolated nuclear reactor containment building (NRCB) under strong short-period ground motions (SPGMs) and long-period ground motions (LPGMs). The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission-based design response spectrum for the seismic design of nuclear power plants is stipulated as the reference spectrum for ground motion selection. Within the period range(s) of interest, the spectral matching of selected records with the target spectrum is ensured using the spectral-compatibility approach. NRC-compliant SPGMs and LPGMs from the mega-thrust Tohoku earthquake are used to obtain the structural response of the base-isolated NRCB. To account for the lack of earthquakes in low-to-moderate seismicity zones and the gap in the artificial synthesis of long-period records, wavelet-decomposition based autoregressive moving average modeling for artificial generation of real ground motions is performed. Based on analysis results from real and simulated SPGMs versus LPGMs, the performance of NRCBs is discussed with suggestions for future research and seismic provisions.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.381-399
• /
• 2005

Base isolation technologies have been proven to be very efficient in protecting structures from seismic hazards during experimental and theoretical studies. In recent years, there have been more and more engineering applications using base isolators to upgrade the seismic resistibility of structures. Optimum design of the base isolator can lessen the undesirable seismic hazard with the most efficiency. Hence, tracing the nonlinear behavior of the base isolator with good accuracy is important in the engineering profession. In order to predict the nonlinear behavior of base isolated structures precisely, hundreds even thousands of degrees-of-freedom and iterative algorithm are required for nonlinear time history analysis. In view of this, a simple and feasible exact formulation without any iteration has been proposed in this study to calculate the seismic responses of structures with base isolators. Comparison between the experimental results from shaking table tests conducted at National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering in Taiwan and the analytical results show that the proposed method can accurately simulate the seismic behavior of base isolated structures with elastomeric bearings. Furthermore, it is also shown that the proposed method can predict the nonlinear behavior of the VCFPS isolated structure with accuracy as compared to that from the nonlinear finite element program. Therefore, the proposed concept can be used as a simple and practical tool for engineering professions for designing the elastomeric bearing as well as sliding bearing.