• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.259-278
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• 2008

This paper presents a nonlinear finite element procedure accounting for the effects of geometric as well as material nonlinearities for reinforced concrete bridge piers supported by laminated rubber bearings. Reinforced concrete bridge piers supported by laminated rubber bearings and carrying a cyclic load were analyzed by using a special purpose, nonlinear finite element program, RCAHEST. For reinforced concrete, the proposed robust nonlinear material model captures the salient response characteristics of the bridge piers under cyclic loading conditions and addresses with the influence of geometric nonlinearity on post-peak response of the bridge piers by transformations between local and global systems. Seismic isolator element to predict the behaviors of laminated rubber bearings is also developed. The seismic performance of reinforced concrete bridge piers supported by laminated rubber bearings is assessed analytically. The results show good correlation between the experimental findings and numerical predictions, and demonstrate the reliability and robustness of the proposed analytical model. Additionally, the studies and discussions presented in this investigation provide an insight into the key behavioral aspects of reinforced concrete bridge piers supported by laminated rubber bearings.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.63-72
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to evaluate seismic performance of reinforced concrete bridge piers supported by laminated rubber bearings. A computer program, named RCAHEST(Reinforced Concrete Analysis in Higher Evaluation System Technology), for the analysis of reinforced concrete structures was used. Material nonlinearity is taken into account by comprising tensile, compressive and shear models of cracked concrete and a model of reinforcing steel. The smeared crack approach is incorporated. Seismic isolator element is developed to predict behaviors of laminated rubber bearings. The proposed numerical method for seismic performance evaluation of reinforced concrete bridge piers supported by laminated rubber bearings is verified by comparison with reliable experimental results.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.3 no.6
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• pp.853-867
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• 2012

In this paper, a new type of passive energy dissipating system similar to added damping and stiffness (ADAS) and triangular added damping and stiffness (TADAS) is proposed and implemented in the analytical model of a building with hybrid structural system in the structure's base which we call it; Telescopic column. The behavior and performance of a high rise R.C. structure equipped with this system is investigated and compared with conventional base isolation systems such as rubber isolator bearings and friction pendulum bearings. For this purpose a series of ground acceleration records of the San Fernando, Long Beach and Imperial Valley earthquakes are used as the disturbing ground motions in a series of numerical simulations. The nonlinear numerical modeling which includes both material and geometric nonlinearities were carried out by using SAP2000 program. Results show suitable behavior of structures equipped with telescopic columns in controlling the upper stories drifts and accelerations.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.761-783
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• 2006

The enlargement of interest in base isolators as an earthquake-proof design strategy has dramatically accelerated experimental studies of elastomeric bearings worldwide. In this paper, a new base isolator concept that is a hybrid system of rubber bearings is proposed. Uniaxial, biaxial, and triaxial shaking table tests are also performed to study the seismic behavior of a 0.4-scale three-story isolated steel structure in the National Center for Research on Earthquake Engineering in Taiwan. Experimental results demonstrate that structures with a hybrid system of rubber bearings composed of stirruped rubber bearings and laminated rubber bearings can actually decrease the seismic responses of the superstructure. It has been proved through the shaking table tests that the proposed hybrid system of rubber bearings is a very promising tool to enhance the seismic resistance of structures. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the proposed analytical model in this paper can predict the mechanical behavior of the hybrid system of rubber bearings and seismic responses of the base-isolated structures.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.855-864
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• 2013

The dynamic characteristics of natural rubber bearings, which are used as isolator, are dependent on the main rubber's dynamic behaviors and nonlinear properties. Rubber materials tend to undergo an aging process under the influence of mechanical or environmental factors, so they inevitably end up facing damage. A main cause of aging like this is known to be oxidization, which occurs through the heat of reaction at high temperatures. Accordingly, in this study an accelerated thermal aging test was carried out in order to compare the characteristic values of the bearings before and after thermal aging occurs. As a result of this experiment, it was found that a thermal aging phenomenon could have some effects on shear stiffness, energy absorption, and equivalent damping coefficients of the bearings. Furthermore, a deterioration in the dynamic properties of the natural rubber bearings caused by the thermal aging was applied to an actual bridge and then the effects of such thermal aging on the seismic performance of the bridge were also compared and analyzed based on numerical analysis. As a result of this analysis, it was found that the changes in the basic properties of the natural rubber bearings caused by the thermal aging bring only a minor effect on the seismic performance of bridges.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.5A
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• pp.417-424
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• 2010

The dynamic properties of laminated rubber bearings used as isolators in structures could be significantly deteriorated because of the change of microstructure in rubber caused by thermal aging. As a result, a catastrophic failure of bridges and buildings unexpectedly occurs when they are subjected to earthquake attack. Here, the dynamic properties of laminated rubber bearings before and after different of compression-shear loading and repeated cycles loadings, ultimated failure test with thermal aging were first measured and compared to each other. The experimental results, the effects of thermal aging on the shear stiffness, energy absorption, and equivalent damping coefficient of laminated rubber bearings are investigated. It is found that the deterioration of dynamic properties of laminated rubber bearings caused by thermal aging is significant and should be taken into account in designing rubber bearings.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 1995.04a
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• pp.99-106
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• 1995

The seismic responses of a base Isolated Pressurized Water Reactor(PWR) are investigated using a mathematical model which expresses the superstructure as a linear lumped mass-spring and the seismic Isolator as an equivalent spring-damper. Time history analyses are performed for the 1940 El Centre earthquake with linear amplification. In the analysis 5% of structural damping is used for the superstructure. The effects of high damping rubber bearing on seismic response of the superstructure in base isolated system are evaluated for four stiffness model types. The acceleration responses in base isolated PWR superstructure with high damping rubber bearings are much smaller than those in fixed base structure. In the higher strain region where stiffness behaves non-linearly, the acceleration responses modelled by one equivalent stiffness are smaller than those in nonlinear spring model, and the higher stiffness spring model of isolator exhibits larger peak acceleration response at superstructure in the frequency range above 2.0 Hz. when subjected to linearly amplified 1940 El Centre earthquake.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.32 no.2A
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• pp.109-116
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• 2012

The dynamic properties of lead rubber bearings, which are used as isolator, are dependent on the main rubber's dynamic behaviors and nonlinear qualities. Rubber materials tend to undergo an aging process under the influence of mechanical or environmental factors, so they can end up inevitably facing damage. A main cause of such aging is known to be oxidization, which occurs through the heat of reaction at high temperatures. Accordingly, in this study an accelerated thermal aging test was carried out in order to compare the characteristic values of the bearings with each other before and after thermal aging occurs. As a result of this experiment, it was found that a thermal aging phenomenon could have an effect on shear stiffness, energy absorption, and equivalent damping coefficients. Furthermore, a decline in the dynamic properties of the lead rubber bearings by means of the thermal aging process was applied to an actual bridge and the effects of such thermal aging on the seismic performance of the bridge were also compared and analyzed based on numerical analysis. As a result of this analysis, it was found that the changes in the basic properties of the lead rubber bearings have a minor effect on the seismic performance of bridges.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.161-171
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• 2015

A series of tests was conducted for full-scale single-pylon asymmetric cable-stayed bridges using a system of multiple shaking tables. The 2-span bridge length was 28 m, and the pylon height was 10.2 m. 4 different base conditions were considered: the fixed condition, RB (rubber bearings), LRB (lead rubber bearings), and HDRB (high damping rubber bearings). Based on investigation of the seismic response, the accelerations and displacements in the axial direction of the isolated bridge were increased compared to non-isolated case. However, the strain of the pylon was decreased, because the major mode of the structure was changed to translation for the axial direction due to the dynamic mass. The response of the cable bridge could differ from the desired response according to the locations and characteristics of the seismic isolator. Therefore, caution is required in the design and prediction in regard to the location and behavior of the seismic isolator.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.67 no.1
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• pp.69-78
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• 2018

The study presented herein focused on the change in hysteretic force-deformation behavior of lead rubber bearings (LRBs). The material model used to idealize response of LRBs under cyclic motion is capable of representing the gradual attrition in strength of isolator unit on account of lead core heating. To identify the effect of loading history on the hysteretic response of LRBs, a typical isolator unit is subjected to cyclic motions with different velocity, amplitude and number of cycles. Furthermore, performance of an LRB isolated single degree of freedom system is studied under different seismic input levels. Finally, the significance of lead core heating effect on LRBs is discussed by considering the current design approach for base isolated structures. Results of this study show that the response of an LRB is governed strongly by the amplitude and number of cycles of the motion and the considered seismicity level.