Improved numerical analysis for ultimate behavior of elastomeric seismic isolation bearings

Elastomeric isolation bearings consist of multiple rubber layers with their top and bottom surfaces bonded to steel plates to restrict compressive deformation. Deformation constraints result in a variation of elastic modulus over the cross section of the rubber layers. In this paper, we describe a normalized compression modulus distribution on a circular rubber pad. The compressive and bending moduli of the rubber pad can be reproduced by applying the distribution to a series of axial springs. We also present a mechanical model for predicting the behavior of elastomeric seismic isolation bearings subject to large shear deformation and high compressive load. The mechanical model consists of a series of multiple shear springs at midheight and a series of axial springs at the top and bottom interfaces of the bearing. Simulation analyses of bearing tests were conducted to validate the proposed model. The analyses demonstrated that a model for circular lead-rubber bearings can successfully capture the influence of the axial load magnitude on the bearing shear behavior. The new model can simulate much more realistic behavior than prior models based on a uniform modulus assumption.     

A mechanical model for elastomeric seismic isolation bearings including the influence of axial load

For the purpose of predicting the large‐displacement response of seismically isolated buildings, an analytical model for elastomeric isolation bearings is proposed. The model comprises shear and axial springs and a series of axial springs at the top and bottom boundaries. The properties of elastomeric bearings vary with the imposed vertical load. At large shear deformations, elastomeric bearings exhibit stiffening behavior under low axial stress and buckling under high axial stress. These properties depend on the interaction between the shear and axial forces. The proposed model includes interaction between shear and axial forces, nonlinear hysteresis, and dependence on axial stress. To confirm the validity of the model, analyses are performed for actual static loading tests of lead–rubber isolation bearings. The results of analyses using the new model show very good agreement with the experimental results. Seismic response analyses with the new model are also conducted to demonstrate the behavior of isolated buildings under severe earthquake excitations. The results obtained from the analyses with the new model differ in some cases from those given by existing models. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coupling behavior of shear deformation and end rotation of elastomeric seismic isolation bearings

This paper presents a mechanical model for predicting the behavior of elastomeric seismic isolation bearings subject to combined end rotations and shear deformation. The mechanical model consists of a series of axial springs at the top, mid‐height and bottom of the bearing to vertically reproduce asymmetric bending moment distribution in the bearings. The model can take into account end rotations of the bearing, and the overall rotational stiffness includes the effect of the variation of vertical load on the bearing and the imposed shear deformation. Static bending tests under various combinations of vertical load and shear deformation were performed to identify the mechanical characteristics of bearings. The test results indicate that bearing rotational stiffness increases with increasing vertical load but decreases with increasing shear deformation. Simulation analyses were conducted to validate the new mechanical model. The results of analyses using the new model show very good agreement with experimental observations. A series of seismic response analyses were performed to demonstrate the dynamic behavior of top‐of‐column isolated structures, a configuration where the end rotations of isolation bearings are typically expected to be larger. The results suggest that the end rotations of elastomeric bearings used in practical top‐of‐column isolated structures do not reduce the stability limit of isolation system. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A mathematical hysteretic model for elastomeric isolation bearings

An analytical model for high damping elastomeric isolation bearings is presented in this paper. The model is used to describe mathematically the damping force and restoring force of the rubber material and bearing. Ten parameters to be identified from cyclic loading tests are included in the model. The sensitivity of the ten parameters in affecting the model is examined. These ten parameters are functions of a number of influence factors on the elastomer such as the rubber compound, Mullins effect, scragging effect, frequency, temperature and axial load. In this study, however, only the Mullins effect, scragging effect, frequency and temperature are investigated. Both material tests and shaking table tests were performed to validate the proposed model. Based on the comparison between the experimental and the analytical results, it is found that the proposed analytical model is capable of predicting the shear force–displacement hysteresis very accurately for both rubber material and bearing under cyclic loading reversals. The seismic response time histories of the bearing can also be captured, using the proposed analytical model, with a practically acceptable precision. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Study of the seismic performance of expansion double spherical seismic isolation bearings for continuous girder bridges

The development of an expansion double spherical seismic isolation (DSSI) bearing by modifying the fixed DSSI bearing is described in this paper.The expansion DSSI bearing is characterized by its good ...     

Investigation of the seismic response of high‐rise buildings supported on tension‐resistant elastomeric isolation bearings

In many applications of seismic isolation, such as in high‐rise construction, lightweight construction, and structures with large height‐to‐width aspect ratios, significant tension forces can develop in bearings, raising concerns about the possible rupture of elastomeric bearings and the uplift of sliding bearings. In this paper, a novel tension‐resistant lead plug rubber bearing (TLRB) with improved tension‐resisting capabilities is developed and experimentally and numerically assessed. This TLRB consists of a common lead plug rubber bearing (LRB) and several helical springs. After describing the theory underlying the behavior of the TLRB, the mechanical properties of reduced‐scale prototype bearings are investigated through extensive horizontal and vertical loading tests. The test results indicate that TLRBs can improve the shear stiffness and tension resistance capacity even under significant tensile loads. A series of shaking table tests on scaled models of high‐rise buildings with different aspect ratios were conducted to investigate the dynamic performance of the TLRB and the seismic responses of base‐isolated high‐rise buildings. Three different cases were considered in the shaking table tests: a fixed base condition and the use of TLRB and LRB isolation systems. The results of the shaking table test show that (a) base‐isolated systems are effective in reducing the structural responses of high‐rise buildings; (b) an isolated structure's aspect ratio is an important factor influencing its dynamic response; (c) TLRBs can endure large tensile stresses and avoid rupture on rubber bearings under strong earthquakes; and (d) the experimental and numerical results of the responses of the models show good agreement. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An advanced analytical model for high damping rubber bearings

Base‐isolation technologies have been developed over the years in attempts to mitigate the effects of earthquakes on structures and potentially vulnerable contents in earthquake prone areas of the world. The high damping rubber bearing (HDRB) is a relatively recent and evolving technology of this kind. The isolator shifts the fundamental period of the base‐isolated structure to a value beyond the range of the plentiful energy‐containing periods of earthquake motions and supplies significant damping to dissipate energy caused by motions. Nevertheless, the highly non‐linear mechanical behaviour of the HDRB is so complex, especially at large strains, that it is difficult to model it analytically. In this paper, an extensive study of experimental tests for identifying the mechanical characteristics of the HDRB is presented. By modifying the Wen's model to include the rate‐dependent effects, an advanced analytical model in an incremental form for the HDRB is also proposed. A very good agreement between the analytical and experimental results has been obtained. It is illustrated that the proposed mathematical model can predict well the mechanical behaviour of HDRB bearings, even at large shear strain. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

隔震层位置与隔震支座选型

探讨隔震层的竖向设计位置,以期优化隔震设计,促进隔震技术的发展。隔震层设置在±0.00地板下和地下室板底相比:(1)在单层地下室部分不需设置隔震支座;(2)因减少地下室层的竖向荷载,竖向承载力的要求容易得到满足;(3)对于平面极不规则的结构,在±0.00板底隔震时,可以把上部结构分成几个平面相对比较规则的部分,因而隔震层扭转影响引起的位移可以减小;(4)对于文中算例,由于此3方面的原因,隔震支座选型后当隔震层处于±0.00地板下时可以降低隔震支座的费用达37.4%。对于平面尺寸大、平面极不规则的建筑结构把上部结构分割成若干规整的结构在首层地面以下进行隔震是一种经济可行的隔震方案。     

Spherical sliding isolation bearings with adaptive behavior: Theory

The principles of operation and force–displacement relationships of three novel spherical sliding isolation bearings are developed in this paper. These bearings are completely passive devices, yet exhibit adaptive stiffness and adaptive damping. That is, the stiffness and damping change to predictable values at calculable and controllable displacement amplitudes. The primary benefit of adaptive behavior is that a given isolation system can be separately optimized for multiple performance objectives and/or multiple levels of ground shaking. With the devices presented here, this is accomplished using technology that is inherently no more complex than what is currently used by the civil engineering profession. The internal construction consists of various concave surfaces and behavior is dictated by the different combinations of surfaces upon which sliding can occur over the course of motion. As the surfaces upon which sliding occurs change, the stiffness and effective friction change accordingly. A methodology is presented for determining which surfaces are active at any given time based on the effective radius of curvature, coefficient of friction and displacement capacity of each sliding surface. The force–displacement relationships and relevant parameters of interest are subsequently derived based on the first principles. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spherical sliding isolation bearings with adaptive behavior: Experimental verification

This paper describes an experimental program to examine the force–displacement behavior of a class of multi‐spherical sliding bearings. The primary goal of the experiments is to test the validity of the theory developed in a companion paper that describes the behavior of these devices. Experimental work consisted of testing the three primary variations of these bearings in several configurations of different friction and displacement capacities. Most tests were carried out at slow speeds; however, some testing was also conducted at high speed (up to approximately 400 mm/s) to examine the behavior under dynamic conditions. The results of experimental testing were generally found to be in very good agreement with the analytical results. It is shown that the forces and displacements at which transitions in stiffness occur are predictable and therefore controllable in design. Furthermore, the underlying principles of operation were confirmed by the fact that starting and stopping of sliding on the different surfaces occurred as expected from theory. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A parametric study of seismic behavior of roller seismic isolation bearings for highway bridges

A roller seismic isolation bearing is proposed for use in highway bridges. The bearing utilizes a rolling mechanism to achieve seismic isolation and has a zero post‐elastic stiffness under horizontal ground motions, a self‐centering capability, and unique friction devices for supplemental energy dissipation. The objectives of this research are to investigate the seismic behavior of the proposed bearing using parametric studies (1) with nonlinear response history analysis and (2) with equivalent linear analysis according to the AASHTO guide specifications, and by comparing the results from both analysis methods (3) to evaluate the accuracy of the AASHTO equivalent linear method for predicting the peak displacement of the proposed bearing during an earthquake. Twenty‐eight ground motions are used in the studies. The parameters examined are the sloping angle of the intermediate plate of the bearing, the amount of friction force for supplemental energy dissipation, and the peak ground acceleration levels of the ground motions. The peak displacement and base shear of the bearing are calculated. Results of the studies show that a larger sloping angle does not reduce the peak displacement for most of the parametric combinations without friction devices. However, for parametric combinations with friction devices, it allows for the use of a higher friction force, which effectively reduces the peak displacement, while keeping a self‐centering capability. The AASHTO equivalent linear method may underestimate the peak displacement by as much as 40%. Vertical ground motions have little effect on the peak displacement, but significantly increase the peak base shear. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coupled horizontal–vertical stability of bearings under dynamic loading

In this study, the coupled horizontal–vertical behavior of elastomeric bearings subjected to dynamic loading is studied in detail. Under extreme dynamic loading, elastomeric bearings exhibit unstable behavior and an instantaneous loss of horizontal stiffness that is recoverable. Building on an earlier study where the authors developed an analytical model for the horizontal behavior of bearings under dynamic loads, in this study, a new analytical model for the coupled horizontal–vertical behavior of the bearings is developed. The coupled behavior of the bearing is first studied for quasi‐static loading, and later, the behavior of the bearings under dynamic loading is studied. A clear distinction is made between different types of deformation the bearing undergoes in the vertical direction. Based on experimental results, it is observed that the behavior of the bearings under dynamic loading differs markedly from that observed under static loading. A new analytical model is proposed that can account for the coupled horizontal–vertical behavior of the bearings under dynamic loading. The proposed analytical model for predicting the post‐stability vertical behavior of the bearings is verified using experimental results. The model proposed is found to successfully predict the coupled horizontal–vertical behavior of elastomeric bearings. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Study on the seismic performance of a double spherical seismic isolation bearing

In this paper, the configuration and working mechanism of the recently developed double spherical seismic isolation （DSSI） bearing are introduced in detail. Then, vertical displacement of the DSSI bearing due to sliding on a spherical surface is analyzed. The results from seismic performance testing of the bearing are given, and a numerical analysis of a four span continuous girder bridge is performed. The numerical analysis compares the influence of three different bearing arrangement schemes on the structural seismic response, and the results show that the DSSI bearing is effective in increasing the vertical load bearing capacity, reducing the vertical displacement, and controlling the energy dissipation capacity within a certain range.     

层间隔震结构计算模型的简化分析

本文通过对层间隔震结构整体动力性能及时域反应的分析，用模态综合方法建立了该结构计算分析简化模型。该模型合理、可靠，为建立实用设计方法、推广层间隔震结构的应用提供了有效途径。     

Three-dimensional seismic isolation bearing and its application in long span hangars

Based on the seismic response characteristics of space frame structures,a new type of seismic isolation bearing defined as a three-dimensional seismic isolation bearing(3DSIB) is developed in this paper.The bearing offers excellent properties such as multi-dimensional seismic isolation,reasonable rotation capability,good ability to resist lifting load,uncoupled stiffness in horizontal and vertical directions,etc.In the 3DSIB,the horizontal dimension is designed by combining the Teflon sliding device and helical spring,while the vertical dimension is developed by introducing disk springs or helical springs.The mathematical model of the 3DSIB was established and its performance with the critical parameters was tested on a shaking table.Furthermore,the 3DSIB was applied in a 120 m span hangar structure and simulated using SAP2000 software to evaluate its performance in practical structures.The performance of the structures with and without 3DSIB was compared.It is shown that the hangar structure with 3D bearings achieves a better performance.The axial force and acceleration response of the structures with 3DSIB are effectively reduced,while the displacement response of the bearing is within the predetermined range.     

Intelligent seismic isolation system using air bearings and earthquake early warning

Recently strong seismic waves or long period seismic waves have been observed in various earthquakes that occurred in Japan. As a result improvements of existing seismic isolation systems are deemed necessary. The present study proposed an intelligent seismic isolation system encompassing air bearings and earthquake early warning (EEW) system. Such system exhibits adequate isolation performance. The air bearings are isolation device that may render infinite the superstructure natural period by floating them, and the EEW is applied for a trigger of isolation. This paper illustrates the proposed system and discusses the experimental results of a test carried out with the system. Laboratory tests carried out in the present research demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed base isolated systems and prove its efficacy in mitigating the effects of three-dimensional seismic waves. For example, the system suppressed the horizontal response acceleration of an isolation target to 38% of input acceleration.     

隔震与非隔震支座对混凝土箱梁桥地震易损性的影响

为评估隔震和非隔震支座对桥梁地震易损性的影响,以一座3跨连续混凝土箱梁桥为分析对象,首先建立采用铅芯橡胶隔震支座与非隔震型盆式橡胶支座下桥梁的数值模型,求得不同程度地震作用下墩顶与支座的最大位移响应;再定义转角延性比损伤指标,结合支座剪应变,分析桥墩和支座的地震易损性情况;最后通过宽界限法建立全桥地震易损性曲线.研究结...     

柱端隔震夹层橡胶垫力学性能试验研究

本文详细地研究了夹层橡胶隔震垫的回转刚性,给出了回转刚性与竖向压力及切变形的相关性能。     

Efficiency of base isolation systems in structural seismic protection and energetic assessment

This paper concerns the seismic response of structures isolated at the base by means of High Damping Rubber Bearings (HDRB). The analysis is performed by using a stochastic approach, and a Gaussian zero mean filtered non‐stationary stochastic process is used in order to model the seismic acceleration acting at the base of the structure. More precisely, the generalized Kanai–Tajimi model is adopted to describe the non‐stationary amplitude and frequency characteristics of the seismic motion. The hysteretic differential Bouc–Wen model (BWM) is adopted in order to take into account the non‐linear constitutive behaviour both of the base isolation device and of the structure. Moreover, the stochastic linearization method in the time domain is adopted to estimate the statistical moments of the non‐linear system response in the state space. The non‐linear differential equation of the response covariance matrix is then solved by using an iterative procedure which updates the coefficients of the equivalent linear system at each step and searches for the solution of the response covariance matrix equation. After the system response variance is estimated, a sensitivity analysis is carried out. The final aim of the research is to assess the real capacity of base isolation devices in order to protect the structures from seismic actions, by avoiding a non‐linear response, with associated large plastic displacements and, therefore, by limiting related damage phenomena in structural and non‐structural elements. In order to attain this objective the stochastic response of a non‐linear n‐dof shear‐type base‐isolated building is analysed; the constitutive law both of the structure and of the base devices is described, as previously reported, by adopting the BWM and by using appropriate parameters for this model, able to suitably characterize an ordinary building and the base isolators considered in the study. The protection level offered to the structure by the base isolators is then assessed by evaluating the reduction both of the displacement response and the hysteretic dissipated energy. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.