NEHRP Clearinghouse

Title
Base Isolation: Fresh Insight.
File
PB94105756.pdf
Author(s)
Shustov, V.
Source
National Science Foundation, Washington, DC., June 15, 1993, 48 p.
Abstract
The objective of the research is a further development of the engineering concept of seismic isolation. For every pliant systems such as base isolated structures with relatively low bearing stiffness and with artificially added heavy damping mechanism, the so called 'damping' force may occur even the main pushing force at an earthquake. Thus, one of the two basic pillars of the common seismic isolation philosophy, namely, the doctrine of usefulness and necessity of a strong damping mechanism, is turning out to be a self-deception, sometimes even jeopardizing the safety of structures and discrediting the very idea of seismic isolation.
Keywords
Seismic design; Earthquake resistant structures; Seismic waves; Damping; Absorption; Mathematical models; Foundations; Mechanical vibrations; Soil-structure interactions; Base isolation; Isolators; Displacement; Seismic isolation