• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.13-22
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• 1998

This paper summarizes a study on the application of the friction pendulum system in bridge seismic isolation. Shaking table tests have been carried out on a model structure isolated with F.P.S and the obtained structural responses are compared to those of non-isolated. It can be concluded the F.P.S increases the earthquake resistance capacity of the isolated structure. It is also found that the stiffness of bearing, being controlled by the radius of curvature of the spherical sliding interface, is unaffected by the amplitude of the input excitation. Furthermore, the coefficient of sliding friction is velocity dependent so that in weak excitation the sliding velocity is low and, accordingly, the mobilized friction force is less than the one mobilized in strong excitation. Also, the frictional properties of the bearings remain markedly stable after extensive testing, and the permanent displacements are small and not cumulative in successive earthquakes.