• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.581-594
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• 2014

A feasibility study on the seismic design of nuclear reactor buildings with application of a seismic isolation system is introduced. After the Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake in Japan of 1995, seismic isolation technologies have been widely employed for commercial buildings. Having become a mature technology, seismic isolation systems can be applied to NPP facilities in areas of high seismicity. Two reactor buildings are discussed, representing the PWR and BWR buildings in Japan, and the application of seismic isolation systems is discussed. The isolation system employing rubber bearings with a lead plug positioned (LRB) is examined. Through a series of seismic response analyses using the so-named standard design earthquake motions covering the design basis earthquake motions obtained for NPP sites in Japan, the responses of the seismic isolated reactor buildings are evaluated. It is revealed that for the building structures examined herein: (1) the responses of both isolated buildings and isolating LRBs fulfill the specified design criteria; (2) the responses obtained for the isolating LRBs first reach the ultimate condition when intensity of motion is 2.0 to 2.5 times as large as that of the design-basis; and (3) the responses of isolated reactor building fall below the range of the prescribed criteria.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.87-103
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• 2014

This study investigated the effect of soil-structure interaction (SSI) on the response of base-isolated buildings. Seismic isolation can significantly reduce the induced seismic loads on a relatively stiff building by introducing flexibility at its base and avoiding resonance with the predominant frequencies of common earthquakes. To provide a better understanding of the movement behavior of multi-story structures during earthquakes, this study analyzed the dynamic behavior of multi-story structures with high damping rubber bearing (HDRB) behavior base isolation systems that were built on soft soil. Various models were developed, both with and without consideration of SSI. Both the superstructure and soil were modeled linearly, but HDRB was modeled non-linearly. The behavior of the specified models under dynamic loads was analyzed using SAP2000 computer software. Erzincan, Marmara and Duzce Earthquakes were chosen as the ground motions. Following the analysis, the displacements, base shear forces, top story accelerations, base level accelerations, periods and maximum internal forces were compared in isolated and fixed-base structures with and without SSI. The results indicate that soil-structure interaction is an important factor (in terms of earthquakes) to consider in the selection of an appropriate isolator for base-isolated structures on soft soils.

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.597-605
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• 2008

The feasibility study of a newly proposed smart base isolation system employing magneto-rheological elastomers(MREs) has been carried out. MREs belong to a class of smart materials whose elastic modulus or stiffness can be adjusted by varying the magnitude of the magnetic field. The base isolation systems are considered as one of the most effective devices for vibration mitigation of civil engineering structures such as bridges and buildings in the event of earthquakes. The proposed base isolation system strives to enhance the performance of the conventional base isolation system by improving the robustness of the system wide stiffness range controllable of MREs, which improves the adaptability and helps in better vibration control. To validate the effectiveness of the MRE-based isolation system, an extensive numerical simulation study has been performed using both single-story and five-story building structures employing base isolated devices under several historical earthquake excitations. The results show that the proposed system outperformed the conventional system in reducing the responses of the structure in all the seismic excitations considered in the study.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.185-191
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• 2007

For the seismic performance enhancement of residential flat plate structure and for the selection of earthquake records, the possibility of base isolation is evaluated and the time history results are reviewed. By evaluating a base isolated stiffness, a target period, and an envelope curve analysis, seismic performance of structure, which has strong rotational mode, is evaluated. For the propriety evaluation of earthquake records usage and scaling method, time history analysis is done with variables such as DBE(design base earthquake) level, MCE(maximum considerable earthquake) level, and 1.4DBE level. From the analysis results, following conclusions can be made; the earthquake records, which are used in base isolation analysis, should be selected by similar soil type which the structure is considered, and should be intensity scaled in a range of mean ${\pm}$ standard deviation of code based design response spectrum.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.319-334
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• 2018

In this paper, an analytical study was carried out to propose an optimum base-isolated system for the design of steel structures equipped with lead rubber bearings (LRB). For this, 5 and 10-storey steel moment resisting frames (MRFs) were designed as Special Moment Frame (SMF). These two-dimensional and three-bay frames equipped with a set of isolation systems within a predefined range that minimizes the response of the base-isolated frames subjected to a series of earthquakes. In the design of LRB, two main parameters, namely, isolation period (T) and the ratio of strength to weight (Q/W) supported by isolators were considered as 2.25, 2.5, 2.75 and 3 s, 0.05, 0.10 and 0.15, respectively. The Force-deformation behavior of the isolators was modelled by the bi-linear behavior which could reflect the nonlinear characteristics of the lead-plug bearings. The base-isolated frames were modelled using a finite element program and those performances were evaluated in the light of the nonlinear time history analyses by six natural accelerograms compatible with seismic hazard levels of 2% probability of exceedance in 50 years. The performance of the isolated frames was assessed in terms of roof displacement, relative displacement, interstorey drift, absolute acceleration, base shear and hysteretic curve.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.179-191
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• 2002

This paper presents a systematic approach to the seismic nonlinear analysis and retrofit strategies for existing bridges with isolation system using retrofit slate function newly proposed in this study. A seismic retrofit scheme using sliding base isolation system was presented to reduce the seismic hazard for bridge structures. In this study, two types of isolation systems such as lead bearings and sliding isolators were used. The behavior of sliding isolators was modeled by a triaxial interaction model. And three types of earthquakes such as El Centro, San Fernando, and the artificial were used as earthquake ground excitations. Seismic response analyses of the bridge before and after retrofit were effectively carried out by using a three-dimensional nonlinear seismic analysis program, IDARC-Bridge. Also, this paper proposes a retrofit state function for easily representing the efficiency of a retrofit scheme.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2019

To provide a simplified method for the base isolation design of LNG tanks, such as $16{\times}104m^3$ LNG tanks, we conducted a derivation and calculation example analysis of the dynamic response of the base isolation of LNG storage tanks, using dynamic response analysis theory with consideration of pile-soil interaction. The ADINA finite element software package was used to conduct the numerical simulation analysis, and compare it with the theoretical solution. The ground-shaking table experiment of LNG tank base isolation was carried out simultaneously. The results show that the pile-soil interaction is not obvious under the condition of base isolation. Comparing base isolation to no isolation, the seismic response clearly decreases, but there is less of an effect on the shaking wave height after adopting pile top isolation support. This indicates that the basic isolation measures cannot control the wave height. A comparison of the shaking table experiment with the finite element solution and the theoretical solution shows that the finite element solution and theoretical solution are feasible. The three experiments are mutually verified.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.72 no.6
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• pp.785-796
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• 2019

Power transmission substations are susceptible to potential damage under seismic excitations. Two of the major seismic failure modes in substation supplies are: the breakage of brittle insulator, and conductor end fittings. This paper presents efficient isolation strategies for seismically strengthening of a two-item set of equipment including capacitive voltage transformer (CVT) adjacent to a Lightning Arrester (LA). Two different strategies are proposed, Case A: implementation of base isolation at the base of the CVT, while the LA is kept fixed-base, and Case B: implementation of base isolation at the base of the LA, while the CVT is kept fixed-base. Both CVT and LA are connected to each other using a cable during the dynamic excitation. The probabilistic seismic behavior is measured by Incremental Dynamic Analysis (IDA), and a series of appropriate damage states are proposed. Finally, the fragility curves are derived for both the systems. It is found that Friction Pendulum System (FPS) isolator has the potential of decreasing flexural stresses caused by intense ground motions. The research has shown that when the FPS is placed under LA, i.e. Case B (as oppose to Case A), the efficiency of the system is improved in terms of reducing the forces and stresses at the bottom of the porcelain. Several parametric studies are also performed to determine the optimum physical properties of the FPS.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.643-651
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• 2008

The purpose of this study is to evaluate seismic capacity of seismically isolated building according to the earthquake motion record selection method. To analyze the seismic behavior, 20-story building is designed, which has base isolation system. The using earthquake motion record were selected by two categories. The one is a proposed earthquake record according to soil type and response spectrum shape, and the other is a well known earthquake events such as El Centro (1940). The time history analysis results of base isolation buildings be induced difference results according to each ground motion records. Therefore detailed guidelines for the ground motion records selection method must be prepared. And the response of isolation story displacement and shear force show good seismic performance in consideration of the proposed earthquake records.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.527-534
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• 2003

This paper presents the LRB-based hybrid base isolation systems employing additional active/semiactive control devices for seismic protection of cable-stayed bridges by examining the ASCE first generation benchmark problem for a cable-stayed bridge. In this study, ideal hydraulic actuators (HAs) and ideal magnetorheological dampers (MRDs) are considered as additional active and semiactive control devices, respectively. Numerical simulation results show that all the hybrid base isolation systems are effective in reducing the structural responses of the benchmark cable-stayed bridge under the historical earthquakes considered. The simulation results also demonstrate that the hybrid base isolation system employing semiactive MRBs is robust to the stiffness uncertainty of the structure, while the hybrid system with active HAs is not. Therefore, the LRB-based hybrid base isolation system employing MRDs could be more appropriate in real applications for full-scale civil infrastructures.