Shaking Table Tests on a Spherical Tank Mock-Up Provided With Seismic Isolation and Flexible Piping Connections

Author(s):  
Massimo Forni

The Project INDEPTH (Development of INnovative DEvices for Seismic Protection of PeTrocHemical Facilities), supported by the European Commission, has the objective of developing and applying innovative seismic isolation and/or dissipation devices for critical structures at petrochemical facilities. In the framework of INDEPTH, integrated seismic protection systems have been conceived, developed and tested. They are aimed at protecting liquid-filled structures (product storage, spherical and LNG tanks), with new devices (fiber-reinforced isolators, buckling reinforced braces) specific for each application and new flexible piping couplings, to compensate the displacements resulting from the use of isolation systems. The research program has been focused on the selection of critical structures, the design and manufacturing of the devices, the numerical assessment and the experimental validation through shaking table tests. A quantification of technical/economical/safety benefits with respect to the conventional state-of-the-art measures presently adopted and potential application to retrofitting has been performed. Validation through shaking table tests of the effectiveness of the isolation systems on the spherical mock-up (Figure 1), and the related piping system equipped with flexible joints (Figure 2), had been performed. Two types of seismic input have been applied, both synthesized from the 5% damping spectra of EC8 (medium and soft soils); the target peak acceleration value of the time histories was 0.4 g. Different configurations of the mock-up have been tested, such as: fixed base, isolated base with High Damping Rubber Bearings, Fiber Reinforced Rubber Bearings and Lead Rubber Bearings. Furthermore, each configuration has been tested for both time histories and at three different level of filling to verify the sloshing behavior in the sphere and the effectiveness of the isolation systems at levels of filling different from the design one (full sphere). Comparison among all the above mentioned conditions could be done. The presentation will show the main results of the shaking table campaign.

Author(s):  
Massimo Forni ◽  
Alessandro Poggianti ◽  
Giulia Bergamo ◽  
Fabrizio Gatti

The Project INDEPTH (Development of INnovative DEvices for Seismic Protection of PeTrocHemical Facilities), supported by the European Commission, has the objective of developing and applying innovative seismic isolation and/or dissipation systems for critical structures at petrochemical facilities. In the framework of INDEPTH, integrated seismic protection systems have been conceived, developed and tested. They are aimed at protecting liquid-filled structures (product storage, spherical and LNG tanks), with new devices (fiber-reinforced isolators, buckling reinforced braces) specific for each application and new flexible piping couplings, to compensate the displacements resulting from the use of isolation systems. The research program has been focused on the selection of critical structures, the design and manufacturing of the devices, the numerical assessment and the experimental validation through shaking table tests [1–4]. A quantification of technical/economical/safety benefits with respect to the conventional state-of-the-art measures presently adopted and potential application to retrofitting has been performed. This paper describes the validation through shaking table tests of the effectiveness of the isolation systems on a spherical mock-up and the related piping system equipped with flexible joints. Different configurations of the mock-up have been tested, such as: fixed base, isolated base with High Damping Rubber Bearings, Fiber Reinforced Rubber Bearings and Lead Rubber Bearings. Furthermore, each configuration has been tested for three different level of filling to verify the sloshing behavior in the sphere and the effectiveness of the isolation systems at filling levels different from the design one (full sphere).


Author(s):  
Satoru Inaba ◽  
Takuya Anabuki ◽  
Kazutaka Shirai ◽  
Shuichi Yabana ◽  
Seiji Kitamura

This paper describes the dynamic damage test of a reinforced concrete (RC) wall structure with seismic isolation sysytem. It has been expected that seismically isolated structures are damaged in sudden when the accelerations of the structures exceed a certain level by hardening of the rubber bearings. However, the response behavior and the damage mode have not been observed by experimental test yet. So, shaking table tests were carried out at “E-Defense”, equipping the world’s largest shaking table, located at Miki City, Hyogo prefecture, Japan. The specimen was composed of an upper structure of 600 ton by weight and six lead-rubber bearings (LRBs) of 505 mm in diameter which provide both stiffness and hysteretic damping. The upper structure consisted of a RC mass and four RC walls with counter weight. The RC wall structure was designed so that the damage of the RC wall occurred between the shear force at the hardening of the rubber bearings and that at their breaking. The dimensions of the RC wall were 1600 × 800 × 100 mm (B × H × t). The reinforcement ratios were 2.46% in vertical by D13 (deformed reinforcing bar, 13 mm in diameter) and 1.0% in horizontal by D10. The shaking table test was conducted consecutively by increasing the levels up to 225% of tentative design earthquake motion. Consequently, because of the increase of the structural response by the hardening of the rubber bearings, the damage of the wall structure with seismic isolation system suddenly happened. In addition, the preliminary finite element analysis simulated the test results fairly well, which were the restoring force characteristics, the crack patterns of the RC wall structure and such.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 125
Author(s):  
Sang-Jin Ma ◽  
Tae-Myung Shin ◽  
Ju-Seung Ryu ◽  
Jin-Hyeong Lee ◽  
Gyeong-Hoi Koo

Response characteristics of small-sized laminated rubber bearings (LRBs) with partial damage and total failure were investigated. For nuclear component seismic isolation, ultimate response characteristics are mainly reviewed using a beyond design basis earthquake (BDBE). Static tests, 3D shaking table tests, and verification analyses were performed using optional LRB design prototypes. During the static test, the hysteresis curve behavior from buckling to potential damage was observed by applying excessive shear deformation. The damaged rubber surface of the laminated section inside the LRB was checked through water jet cutting. A stress review by response spectrum analysis was performed to simulate the dynamic tests and predict seismic inputs’ intensity level that triggers LRB damage. Shaking table tests were executed to determine seismic response characteristics with partial damage and to confirm the stability of the superstructure when the supporting LRBs completely fail. Shear buckling in LRBs by high levels of BDBE may be quickly initiated via partial damage or total failure by the addition of torsional or rotational behavior caused by a change in the dynamic characteristics. Furthermore, the maximum seismic displacement can be limited within the range of the design interface due to the successive slip behavior, even during total LRB failure.


2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabrizio Paolacci

This paper deals with the effectiveness of two isolation systems for the seismic protection of elevated steel storage tanks. In particular, the performance of high damping rubber bearings (HDRB) and friction pendulum isolators (FPS) has been analyzed. As case study, an emblematic example of elevated tanks collapsed during the Koaceli Earthquake in 1999 at Habas pharmaceutics plant in Turkey is considered. A time-history analysis conducted using lumped mass models demonstrates the high demand in terms of base shear required to the support columns and their inevitable collapse due to the insufficient shear strength. A proper design of HDRB and FPS isolator according to the EN1998 and a complete nonlinear analysis of the isolated tanks proved the high effectiveness of both isolation systems in reducing the response of the case tank. Actually, the stability conditions imposed by the code and a reduced level of convective base shear obtained with the second isolation typology suggests the use of FPS isolators rather than HDRB devices.


Author(s):  
Shuichi Yabana ◽  
Kenji Kanazawa ◽  
Seiji Nagata ◽  
Seiji Kitamura ◽  
Takeshi Sano

This paper describes results of shaking table tests to grasp ultimate behavior of seismic isolation system under extremely strong earthquake motions, including failure of rubber bearings. The results of the shaking table tests are expected to be useful for the design of seismically isolated nuclear facilities, especially fast breeder reactor (FBR) plants. In the test, lead rubber bearings, of which the diameter is 505 mm and about 1/3 scale of a prototype in planning FBR plants, are used; the test specimens are loaded by the largest three-dimensional shaking table in E-defense of National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention (NIED) of Japan. Failure of rubber bearings occurs with amplified tentative design earthquake motions. From the tests, the ultimate responses of the upper structure and rubber bearings are presented. In particular, the change of floor response spectra and restoring force characteristics of rubber bearings according to increase of input motions is discussed. Furthermore, mechanism of the failure of rubber bearings is investigated from the observation of failure surfaces and cut sections, static loading tests, and material tests of rubber bearings. Finally, the function of seismic isolation system after the failure of a part of rubber bearings is confirmed under the tentative design earthquake.


Author(s):  
Fabrizio Paolacci

This paper deals with the effectiveness of two isolation system for the seismic protection of elevated steel storage tanks. In particular the performance of High Damping Rubber Bearings and Friction Pendulum isolators has been analyzed. As case study an emblematic example of elevated tanks collapsed during the Koaceli Earthquake in 1999 at Habas Pharmaceutics plant in Turkey has been considered. A time-history analysis conducted using lumped mass models demonstrated the high demand in terms of base shear required to the support columns and their inevitable collapse due to the insufficient shear strength. A proper design of HDRB and FPS isolator and a complete non-linear analysis of the isolated tanks proved the high effectiveness of both isolation systems in reducing the response of the case tank. Actually, a reduced level of displacements of isolators and a reduced level of convective base shear obtained with the second isolation typology, suggested the used of FPS isolators rather than HDRB.


2011 ◽  
Vol 488-489 ◽  
pp. 142-145
Author(s):  
Sayed Mahmoud ◽  
Per Erik Austrell ◽  
Robert Jankowski

Seismic isolation is a strategy to reduce damage of structures exposed to devastating earthquake excitations. Isolation systems, applied at the base of buildings, lower the fundamental frequency of the structure below the range of dominant frequencies of the ground motion as well as allow to dissipate more energy during structural vibrations. The effectiveness of the base-isolated buildings in damage reduction has been confirmed numerically for the models of structures with fixed supports. The aim of the present paper is to show the results of the non-linear analysis of the response of a base-isolated building supported on soft soil incorporating soil-structure interaction. The detailed study has been conducted for the building equipped with high damping rubber bearings used as isolation devices. The results of numerical simulations demonstrate that soil flexibility has a significant influence on the behaviour of isolated base of the structure. Considering the flexibility of soil significantly affects the rigid superstructure response lowering its potential to reduce structural damage.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 4431
Author(s):  
Gyeong-Hoi Koo ◽  
Tae-Myung Shin ◽  
Sang-Jin Ma

To assure seismic isolation performance against design and beyond design basis earthquakes in the nuclear facility components, the lead inserted small-sized laminated rubber bearings (LRB), which has a 10 kN vertical design load, have been designed and quasi-statically tested to validate their design mechanical properties in previous studies. Following this study, the seismic shaking tests of these full-scale LRBs are performed and discussed in this paper with the dummy mass system to investigate actual seismic isolation performance, dynamic characteristics of LRBs, consistency of the LRB’s quality, and so on. To study the seismic isolation performance, three beam structures (S1–S3) with different natural frequencies were installed both on the shaking table and the dummy mass supported by four LRBs: (1) S1: structure close to seismic isolation frequency; (2) S2: structure close to peak input spectral frequency; (3) S3: structure in the high-frequency region. The test results are described in various seismic levels of OBE (Operating Basis Earthquake), SSE (Safe Shutdown Earthquake), and BDBE (Beyond Design Basis Earthquake), and are compared with the analysis results to assure the seismic isolation performance and the LRB’s design parameters. From the results of the shaking table tests, it is confirmed that the lead inserted small-sized LRBs reveal an adequate seismic isolation performance and their dynamic characteristics as intended in the LRB design.


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