NEHRP Clearinghouse

Title
Optimal Design of an Earthquake Isolation System.
File
PB294735.pdf
Author(s)
Bhatti, M. A.; Pister, K. S.; Polak, E.
Source
National Science Foundation, Washington, DC., October 1978, 120 p.
Identifying Number(s)
UCB/EERC-78/22
Abstract
Optimal design of an earthquake isolation system, consisting of natural rubber bearings and special nonlinear energy absorbing devices, is presented. An algorithm for efficient analysis of structural response, based upon the Newmark and Runge-Kutta methods with optional Newton-Raphson iteration, is given. The optimal design problem, incorporating this simulation algorithm, is formulated as a mathematical programming problem with time-dependent constraints and is solved using a feasible directions algorithm. Several numerical examples are presented, in which it is demonstrated that a properly designed isolation system can substantially reduce structural damage for a class of potential earthquakes.
Keywords
Seismic design; Earthquake resistant structures; Energy absorption; Mechanical hysteresis; Mathematical models; Structural design; Buildings; Earthquake engineering; Ground motion; Dynamic structural analysis