• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 1998

Experimental work undertaken to investigate the behaviour of lead-rubber bearings under compression and a combination of compression and shear or rotation has been reported on elsewhere. However, it is difficult to determine the state of stress within the bearings in terms of the applied forces and the interaction between the lead plug and the steel shims and elastomeric layers. In order to supply some of the missing information about the stress-strain state within the bearings, an analytical study using the finite element method was carried out. The available experimental results were used to validate the model and although agreement was not as good as expected (on account of difficulties in modelling the lead plug), the analyses did provide some information about the state of the stress within the bearing.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nuclear Society Conference
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• 1995.05a
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• pp.1021-1026
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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 lumped mass-spring model and the seismic isolator as an equivalent spring-damper. Time history analyses are performed for the 1940 E1 Centre earthquakes in both horizontal and vertical directions. In the analysis, structural damping of 5% is used for the superstructure. The isolator damping ratios of 12% for horizontal and 5% for vertical directions are used. The acceleration responses in base isolated PWR superstructure with high damping rubber bearings are much smaller than those in fixed base structure in horizontal direction. However, the vertical acceleration responses at the superstructure in the base isolation system are amplified to some extent. It is suggested that the vertical seismic responses at the superstructure should be reduced by introducing a soft vertical isolation device.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.401-413
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• 2019

The concept of base isolation for equipment is well known. Its application in buildings and structures is rather challenging. Introduction of horizontal flexibility at the base helps in proper energy dissipation at the base level thus reducing the seismic demand of the super structure to be considered during design. The present study shows the results of a series of numerical simulation studies on seismic responses of secondary system (SS) housed in non-isolated and base-isolated primary structures (PS) including equipment-structure interactions. For this study the primary structure consists of two similar single bay three-store reinforced cement concrete (RCC) Frame building, one non-isolated with conventional foundation and another base isolated with Lead plug bearings (LPB) constructed at IIT Guwahati, while the secondary system is modeled as a steel frame. Time period of the base isolated building is higher than the fixed building. Due to the presence of isolator, Acceleration response is significantly reduced in both (X and Y) direction of Building. It have been found that when compared to fixed base building, the base isolated building gives better performance in high seismic prone areas.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.875-887
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• 2014

The aim of the shaking table experiment is to verify the isolation effect of a storage liquid tank with multiple friction pendulum bearings. A 1:20 scale model of a real storage liquid tank that is widely used in the petroleum industry was examined by the shaking table test to compare its anchored base and isolated base. The seismic response of the tank was assessed by employing the time history input. The base acceleration, wave height and tank wall stress were used to evaluate the isolation effect. Finally, the influences of the bearing performance that characterizes the isolated tank, such as the friction force and residual displacement, were discussed.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.3 no.3_4
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• pp.315-340
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• 2012

There are many types of seismic isolation devices that are being used today for structural control of earthquake response in buildings. The most commonly used are sliding bearings and elastomeric bearings, the latter with or without lead core. An alternative solution is the use of steel springs combined with viscoelastic fluid dampers, which is the case discussed in this paper. An analytical study of a three-story building supported on helical steel springs and viscoelastic fluid dampers, GERB Control System (GCS), subjected to near-fault earthquakes is presented. Several earthquakes records have been obtained by the acceleration network installed in the isolated building and in its non-isolated twin since they were finished. These experimental results are analysed and discussed. The aim is to show that the spring-based system can be an alternative for base isolation of small building located near active faults.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.291-299
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• 2014

There has been an increasing demand for introducing a base isolation system to secure the seismic safety of a nuclear power plant. However, the design criteria and the safety assessment methodology of a base isolated nuclear facility are still being developed. A performance based design concept for the base isolation system needs to be added to the general seismic design procedures. For the base isolation system, the displacement responses of isolators excited by the extended design basis earthquake are important as well as the design displacement. The possible displacement response by the extended design basis earthquake should be limited less than the failure displacement of the isolator. The failure of isolators were investigated by an experimental test to define the ultimate strain level of rubber bearings. The uncertainty analysis, considering the variations of the mechanical properties of isolators and input ground motions, was performed to estimate the probabilistic distribution of the isolator displacement. The relationship of the displacement response by each ground motion level was compared in view of a period elongation and a reduction of damping. Finally, several examples of isolator parameters are calculated and the considerations for an acceptable isolation design is discussed.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.58 no.2
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• pp.259-276
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• 2016

Lead-rubber bearings (LRBs) have been used worldwide in seismic design of buildings and bridges owing to their stable mechanical properties and good isolation effect. We have investigated the effectiveness of LRBs in framed underground structures on controlling structural seismic responses. Nonlinear dynamic time history analyses were carried out on the well-documented Daikai Station, which collapsed during the 1995 Hyogoken-Nanbu earthquake. Influences of strength ratio (ratio of yield strength of LRBs to yield strength of central column) and shear modulus of rubber on structural seismic responses were studied. As a displacement-based passive energy dissipation device, LRBs reduce dynamic internal forces of framed underground structures and improve their seismic performance. An optimal range of strength ratios was proposed for the case presented. Within this range, LRBs can dissipate maximum input earthquake energy. The maximum shear and moment of the central column can achieve more than 50% reduction, whereas the maximum shear displacement of LRBs is acceptable.

• 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.53 no.2
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• pp.227-248
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• 2015

A CFPBS (Cone-type Friction Pendulum Bearing System) was developed to control the acceleration delivered to a structure to prevent the damage and degradation of critical communication equipment during earthquakes. This study evaluated the isolation performance of the CFPBS by numerical analysis. The CFPBS was manufactured in the shape of a cone differenced with the existing FPS (Friction Pendulum System), and a pattern was engraved on the friction surface. The natural frequencies of the CFPBS were evaluated from a free-vibration test with a seismic isolator system consisting of 4 CFPBS. To confirm the earthquake-resistant performance, a numerical analysis program was prepared using the equation of the CFPBS induced from the equations of motion. The equation reported by Tsai for the rolling-type seismic isolation bearings was proposed to design the equation of the CFPBS. Artificial seismic waves that satisfy the maximum earthquake scale of the Korean Building Code-Structural (KBC-2005) were created and verified to review the earthquake-resistant performance of the CFPBS by numerical analysis. The superstructural mass of the CFPBS and the skew angle of friction surface were considered for numerical analysis with El Centro NS, Kobe NS and artificial seismic waves. The CFPBS isolation performance evaluation was based on the numerical analysis results, and comparative analysis was performed between the results from numerical analysis and simplified theoretical equation under the same conditions. The validity of numerical analysis was verified from the shaking table test.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.1259-1281
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• 2014

This research has been conducted in order to investigate the effects of peak ground velocity (PGV) of near-field earthquakes on base-isolated structures mounted on Single Friction Pendulum (SFP), Double Concave Friction Pendulum (DCFP) and Triple Concave Friction Pendulum (TCFP) bearings. Seismic responses of base-isolated structures subjected to simplified near field pulses including the forward directivity and the fling step pulses are considered in this study. Behaviour of a two dimensional single story structure mounting on SFP, DCFP and TCFP isolators investigated employing a variety range of isolators and the velocity (PGV) of the forward directivity and the fling step pulses as the main variables of the near field earthquakes. The maximum isolator displacement and base shear are selected as main seismic responses. Peak seismic responses of different isolator types are compared to emphasize the efficiency of each one under near field earthquakes. It is demonstrated that rising the PGVs increases the isolator displacement and base shear of structure. The effects of the forward directivity are greater than the fling step pulses. Furthermore, TCFP isolator is more effective to control the near field effects than the other friction pendulum isolators are. This efficiency is more significant in pulses with longer period and greater PGVs.