Comparison study on seismic isolation design of RC frame structure based on two different codes

Abstract

With the development of building seismic isolation technology and the official release of the Isolation Code in September 2021, seismic isolation design in China will now rely on two foundational codes: the Seismic Code and the Isolation Code. This paper take a ceramic jar storage of the RC frame structure as the research object, and carry out the seismic isolation design based on the separated calculation design method of the Seismic Code and the unitary calculation design method of the Isolation Code respectively, and clarify the control index of the Isolation Code is the story drift angle. The maximum displacement is reduced by 37.5%. In terms of material consumption, the Isolation Code leads to a 5.94% decrease in concrete usage, accompanied by a 13.97% increase in steel consumption, resulting in an overall cost increase of 4.98%. The findings indicate that seismic isolation design, guided by the Isolation Code, substantially mitigates the seismic response of the superstructure. The damage extent to structural members is reduced by 15–20%, promoting enhanced safety and repairability. The outcomes of this study offer valuable insights for future seismic isolation designs in RC frame structures.