Definition and Validation of Fast Design Procedures for Seismic Isolation Systems

Abstract

The research on traditional and innovative seismic isolation techniques has grown significantly in recent years, thanks to both experimental and numerical campaigns. As a consequence, practitioners have also started to apply such techniques in real applications, and nowadays, seismic isolation is widespread in regions characterized by a high level of seismic hazard. The present work aims at providing practitioners with very simple procedures for the first design of the isolation devices of a building, according to the most common typologies of isolators: Rubber Bearings, Lead Rubber Bearings and Curved Surface Sliders. Such Fast Design Procedures are based on simplified approaches, and the mechanical properties of the implemented devices can be obtained by assuming a performance point of the overall structural system, namely effective period and equivalent viscous damping. Furthermore, some important parameters are defined, according to the outcomes of a statistical analysis of the test database of the EUCENTRE Foundation in Italy. Finally, results of a validation study have been provided by analyzing a case-study structure through a Multi Degree of Freedom oscillator and a full 3D Finite Element model.