Experimental assessment of the seismic performance of hospital cabinets using shake table testing

An experimental investigation of hospital building equipment is presented. Dynamic properties and seismic performance of typical ambulatory freestanding cabinets are assessed by unidirectional and bidirectional shake table tests, also considering the presence of internal partitions and cabinet contents. Vulnerability analysis is performed according to the most recent and reliable assessment methods, evaluating the influence of different parameters of the sample cabinets. The performance criteria referred within this research are the limit states reached by the specimens (ie, rocking and overturning) and by their contents (ie, overturning and breaking). Fragility curves are evaluated for the components and the contents, considering both acceleration and velocity intensity measures, and also using dimensionless intensity measures developed in recent studies. The outcomes of the present study confirm the findings of previous laboratory tests and numerical simulations carried out by the same authors and provide a further insight for the reliable seismic performance assessment of hospital cabinets and their contents.     

Experimental and analytical studies on the response of freestanding laboratory equipment to earthquake shaking

This paper presents results of a comprehensive experimental program on the seismic response of full‐scale freestanding laboratory equipment. First, quasi‐static experiments are conducted to examine the mechanical behavior of the contact interface between the laboratory equipment and floors. Based on the experimental results, the response analysis that follows adopts two idealized contact friction models: the elastoplastic model and the classical Coulomb friction model. Subsequently, the paper presents shake table test results of full‐scale freestanding equipment subjected to ground and floor motions of hazard levels with corresponding displacements that can be accommodated by the shake table at the UC Berkeley Earthquake Engineering Research Center. For the equipment tested, although some rocking is observed, sliding is the predominant mode of response, with sliding displacements reaching up to 60 cm. Numerical simulations with the proposed models are performed. Finally, the paper identifies a physically motivated intensity measure and the associated engineering demand parameter with the help of dimensional analysis and presents ready‐to‐use fragility curves. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of the rocking response of rigid blocks standing free on a seismically isolated base

This paper examines the rocking response and stability of rigid blocks standing free on an isolated base supported: (a) on linear viscoelastic bearings, (b) on single concave and (c) on double concave spherical sliding bearings. The investigation concludes that seismic isolation is beneficial to improve the stability only of small blocks. This happens because while seismic isolation increase the ‘static’ value of the minimum overturning acceleration, this value remains nearly constant as we move to larger blocks or higher frequency pulses; therefore, seismic isolation removes appreciably from the dynamics of rocking blocks the beneficial property of increasing stability as their size increases or as the excitation pulse period decreases. This remarkable result suggests that free‐ standing ancient classical columns exhibit superior stability as they are built (standing free on a rigid foundation) rather than if they were seismically isolated even with isolation system with long isolation periods. The study further confirms this finding by examining the seismic response of the columns from the peristyle of two ancient Greek temples when subjected to historic records. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Damage assessment through structural identification of a three‐story large‐scale precast concrete structure

This paper investigates the damage assessment of a three‐story half‐scale precast concrete building resembling a parking garage through structural identification. The structure was tested under earthquake‐type loading on the NEES large high‐performance outdoor shake table at the University of California San Diego in 2008. The tests provide a unique opportunity to capture the dynamic performance of precast concrete structures built under realistic boundary conditions. The effective modal parameters of the structure at different damage states have been identified from white‐noise and scaled earthquake test data with the assumption that the structure responded in a quasi‐linear manner. Modal identification has been performed using the deterministic‐stochastic subspace identification method based on the measured input–output data. The changes in the identified modal parameters are correlated to the observed damage. In general, the natural frequencies decrease, and the damping ratios increase as the structure is exposed to larger base excitations, indicating loss of stiffness, development/propagation of cracks, and failure in joint connections. The analysis of the modal rotations and curvatures allowed the localization of shear and flexural damages respectively and the checking of the effectiveness of repair actions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Experimental study on multiple tuned mass dampers to reduce seismic responses of a three‐storey building structure

In this study, several mass dampers were designed and fabricated to suppress the seismic responses of a ¼‐scale three‐storey building structure. The dynamic properties of the dampers and structure were identified from free and forced vibration tests. The building structure with or without the dampers was, respectively, tested on a shake table under the white noise excitation, the scaled 1940 El Centro earthquake and the scaled 1952 Taft earthquake. The dampers were placed on the building floors using the sequential procedure developed by the authors in previous studies. Experimental results indicated that the multiple damper system is substantially superior to a single tuned mass damper in mitigating the floor accelerations even though the multiple dampers are sub‐optimal in terms of tuning frequency, damping and placement. These results validated the sequential procedure for placement of the multiple dampers. The structure was also analysed numerically based on the shake table excitation and the identified structure and damper parameters for all test cases. Numerical and experimental results are in good agreement, validating the dynamic properties identified. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

地铁地下结构大型振动台试验模型研究概述

基于国内外对地铁地下结构大型振动台试验的研究成果和发展现状,分别对开展地铁大型振动台试验所涉及各个要素的关键问题进行论述,包括模型箱的选择和制作、模型结构和土的相似模拟、地震波的输入,以及试验监测和数据采集系统的管理。总结以往地铁振动台试验的经验,提出在研究目的和模型制作中存在的问题和难点,并探讨解决思路和方法,为后继的类似试验提供参考。     

钢-混凝土高层结构抗震性能振动台试验研究

广州天誉大厦采用型钢混凝土框架一钢筋混凝土筒体的混合结构体系,地面以上结构采用抗震缝兼伸缩缝分隔为南、北塔两个独立结构体系,南塔高186.5 m,北塔高159.5 m.两塔的核心筒总宽度与核心筒总高的比值均超出了规范限值.为研究这种超限高层混合结构的抗震性能,对其进行了缩尺(1/30)模型的振动台试验,并建立了有限元计...     

Experimental study on a new type of earthquake resilient shear wall

Reinforced concrete (RC) shear walls have been extensively used as lateral load resisting structural members in tall buildings. However, in the past, strong earthquake events RC structural walls in some buildings suffered severe damage, which concentrated at the bottom and was very difficult to be repaired. The installation of the replaceable corner components (RCCs) at the bottom of the structural wall is a new method to form an earthquake resilient structural wall whose function can be quickly restored by replacing the RCCs after the strong earthquake because of the damage concentrating on RCCs. In this study, a new kind of replaceable energy‐dissipation component installed at the bottom corner of RC structural walls was proposed. To study the seismic performance of the new structural wall with RCCs, the cyclic loading tests on three new structural wall specimens and one conventional RC structural wall specimen were conducted. One of the new structural wall specimens experienced replacement and reloading process to verify the feasibility of replacement. The results show that the structural behavior of all specimens was flexure dominating. The damage in the new shear specimens mainly concentrated on RCCs. The replacement of RCCs can be implemented conveniently after the residual deformation occurred in the structure. Compared with the conventional structural wall specimen, the seismic performance of new structural wall specimens was improved significantly. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Study on effects of damping in laminated rubber bearings on seismic responses for a ⅛ scale isolated test structure

The effects of damping in various laminated rubber bearings (LRB) on the seismic response of a ?‐scale isolated test structure are investigated by shaking table tests and seismic response analyses. A series of shaking table tests of the structure were performed for a fixed base design and for a base isolation design. Two different types of LRB were used: natural rubber bearings (NRB) and lead rubber bearings (LLRB). Three different designs for the LLRB were tested; each design had a different diameter of lead plug, and thus, different damping values. Artificial time histories of peak ground acceleration 0.4g were used in both the tests and the analyses. In both shaking table tests and analyses, as expected, the acceleration responses of the seismically isolated test structure were considerably reduced. However, the shear displacement at the isolators was increased. To reduce the shear displacement in the isolators, the diameter of the lead plug in the LLRB had to be enlarged to increase isolator damping by more than 24%. This caused the isolator stiffness to increase, and resulted in amplifying the floor acceleration response spectra of the isolated test structure in the higher frequency ranges with a monotonic reduction of isolator shear displacement. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.