Paper
Comparison of the Analyses Results of Seismic Isolated Buildings by the Design Code and Time Histories
- Authors:
- Mikayel G. Melkumyan
- Abstract
- Extensive implementation of seismic isolation technologies in Armenia provided a good basis for the development and inclusion of a separate chapter on seismic isolation of buildings in the last edition of the National Seismic Code RABC II-6.02-2006. This chapter is presented in the paper. Since 1994 during a short period of 19 years about 46 buildings and structures have been designed by the author of this paper with application of base or roof isolation systems. Of these designed buildings the total number of already constructed and retrofitted buildings or those currently under construction has reached 37. Information on some of these buildings is given in the paper. Based on the analyses carried out for the considered buildings it is emphasized that seismic isolation significantly reduces the maximum spectral acceleration, also proving to be cost effective and ensuring high reliability of their behaviour under seismic impacts. Seismic isolation techniques developed in Armenia lead to significant savings in construction costs. Several reasons for savings are mentioned in the paper. Comparison of the Code based analyses results with those obtained by the time history analyses indicates that the shear forces at the level of isolation systems, the maximum displacements of the isolators, and the maximum story drifts in the superstructures calculated based on the Armenian Seismic Code provisions are considerably higher than the same values calculated by the time histories. It is concluded that the Code needs a more accurate designation of reduction factors for seismic isolation systems. Corresponding suggestion is made in the paper for the Code revision.
- Keywords
- Seismic Isolated Buildings; Earthquake Response Analysis; High Reliability; Cost Savings; Time History; Seismic Code; Comparison of Results; Reduction Factors
- StartPage
- 184
- EndPage
- 192
- Doi