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Sliders and tension controlled reinforced elastomeric bearings combined for earthquake isolation
Author(s) -
Chalhoub Michel S.,
Kelly James M.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
earthquake engineering and structural dynamics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.218
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1096-9845
pISSN - 0098-8847
DOI - 10.1002/eqe.4290190304
Subject(s) - base isolation , natural rubber , structural engineering , elastomer , base (topology) , stiffness , shear (geology) , tension (geology) , hysteresis , engineering , isolation (microbiology) , geotechnical engineering , materials science , geology , mechanical engineering , compression (physics) , physics , composite material , mathematics , mathematical analysis , microbiology and biotechnology , frame (networking) , quantum mechanics , biology
Essential requirements from a base isolation system include wind restraint, stability and fail‐safe capacity. A new base isolation system that satisfies all three requirements and possesses other advantages was tested on the earthquake simulator at the University of California under the base of a one‐fourth scale nine storey steel structure. The base behaves as fixed for low magnitude inputs. When sliding starts the rubber bearings provide additional stiffness and recentering. Displacements are better controlled than the ones for a purely elastomeric isolation system. Vertical deflections due to large horizontal drift encountered in solely rubber systems are eliminated. The fail safe capacity is provided by tension restrainers installed inside the rubber bearings, and by the constant contact of the base with the sliders. Base shear hysteresis loops are drastically enlarged by the presence of the sliders.