Title: Anti-Seismic Rubber Bearings With Inherent Wind Restraint and Vibration Isolation Characteristics

Author(s): C. J. Derham, J. M. Kelly, and A. G. Thomas

Publication: Symposium Paper

Volume: 94

Issue:

Appears on pages(s): 151-166

Keywords: bearings; buildings; earthquake-resistant structures; rubber; structural design; vibration; wind pressure; Design

DOI: 10.14359/1705

Date: 9/1/1986

Abstract:
A system of rubber bearings has been designed to protect buildings from earthquakes by greatly reducing the forces transmitted into the building. At the same time, the bearings inherently provide wind movement control without the necessity for additional mechanical devices. This system has been implemented for a large public building in California and is to be used for a large nuclear power-related structure. Recent experimental work using a large earthquake simulator and large-scale structural models has shown that the system can simultaneously provide isolation from low-frequency ground-borne vibration like that excited by nearby rail or road traffic. Thus, in a seismic urban region, a building can at the same time be protected against earthquake attack and isolated from vibration disturbance. With the increasing shortage of building land, this will enable unsuitable sites--for example, over subway systems--to be developed even in seismic regions.