Research and Development of Intelligent Seismic Isolation System Using Air Bearing

Author(s):  
Satoshi Fujita ◽  
Keisuke Minagawa ◽  
Mitsuru Miyazaki ◽  
Go Tanaka ◽  
Osamu Takahashi

This study aims at research and development of the intelligent seismic isolation system using air bearings as isolation device and Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) as trigger of isolation system. In October 2007, EEW was started providing to resident of Japan. The EEW system expects earthquake intensity and arrival time at particular place by analysis of seismic wave that was observed near the earthquake center. Therefore social and technical application of the system is strongly expected for suppression of disaster scale. On the other hand, long period seismic waves having predominant period of from a few seconds to a few ten seconds have recently been observed in various earthquakes. Also resonances of high-rise buildings and sloshing of petroleum tanks in consequence of long period seismic waves have been reported. In metropolises of Japan such as Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya, it is expected that long period seismic waves are excited in large earthquakes because these are located on sedimentary layers. Therefore the isolation system having very long natural period or no natural period is required. In this study, we propose an isolation system having no natural period by using air bearing as isolation device. Air bearing is a bearing that can reduce contact friction between floor and the bearing by thin air film produced by compressed air. In general, the air bearing is used as heavy machinery moving equipment. The approximate friction coefficient is 0.0005 to 0.001, so that the system using air bearing almost isolates seismic wave. In addition, the EEW is applied as trigger of isolation. The EEW is applied for turning gas and electrical heater off, too. P-wave sensor is also equipped and it can operate as trigger in case of near-field earthquake or when EEW system could not work properly. Furthermore, steel plate equipped at the bottom of the air bearing can operate as friction bearing when air bearing does not work. In this paper, we describe results of earthquake response analysis of the intelligent isolation system using air bearing. From results of the analysis, it was confirmed that response acceleration depends on friction coefficient only, and the system has good isolation performance not only against typical seismic wave, such as El Centro wave, but also against long period seismic wave. However residual displacement remains after seismic input stopped. Additionally, experimental test was executed so as to investigate basic performance of isolation. As a result, it was confirmed that the isolation system has good isolation performance.

Author(s):  
Satoshi Fujita ◽  
Keisuke Minagawa ◽  
Mitsuru Miyazaki ◽  
Go Tanaka ◽  
Toshio Omi ◽  
...  

This paper describes three-dimensional isolation performance of seismic isolation system using air bearings. Long period seismic waves having predominant period of from a few seconds to a few ten seconds have recently been observed in various earthquakes. Also resonances of high-rise buildings and sloshing of petroleum tanks in consequence of long period seismic waves have been reported. Therefore the isolation systems having very long natural period or no natural period are required. In a previous paper [1], we proposed an isolation system having no natural period by using air bearings. Additionally we have already reported an introduction of the system, and have investigated horizontal motion during earthquake in the previous paper. It was confirmed by horizontal vibration experiment and simulation in the previous paper that the proposed system had good performance of isolation. However vertical motion should be investigated, because vertical motion varies horizontal frictional force. Therefore this paper describes investigation regarding vertical motion of the proposed system by experiment. At first, a vertical excitation test of the system is carried out so as to investigate vertical dynamic property. Then a three-dimensional vibration test using seismic waves is carried out so as to investigate performance of isolation against three-dimensional seismic waves.


Author(s):  
Keisuke Minagawa ◽  
Satoshi Fujita

Since the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Disaster, the number of isolated structures has been greatly increased. The natural period of the isolation system is designed around 3 seconds, because predominate period of observed seismic waves is usually 0.1 to 1 second. However, relatively long period seismic waves have been observed in various earthquakes, and the resonance of long-period structures, such as high-rise buildings, during earthquakes have been reported at the same time. Therefore the natural period needs to be extended. When extending the natural period of the isolated structure using rubber bearings, its stiffness needs to be reduced. It is more difficult to extend the natural period of the isolation system than the conventional system because of its buckling problem. Therefore we propose a super-long-period active seismic isolation system as a new method for extending the natural period of the isolated structure. This system consists of rubber bearings and actuators. In this study, we designed a control system by using the model-matching-method. This is one of the classical control system design methods. We investigated the isolation performance by numerical analysis. In addition, we selected the optimal variables of transfer function using genetic algorithm.


2005 ◽  
Vol 128 (4) ◽  
pp. 502-507
Author(s):  
Keisuke Minagawa ◽  
Satoshi Fujita

Background: Since the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Disaster, the number of isolated structures has been greatly increased. The natural period of the isolation system is designed around 3s, because the predominate period of observed seismic waves is usually 0.1 to 1s. However, relatively long period seismic waves have been observed in various earthquakes, and the resonances of long-period structures, such as high-rise buildings, during earthquakes have been reported at the same time. Therefore the natural period needs to be extended. When extending the natural period of the isolated structure using rubber bearings, its stiffness needs to be reduced. It is more difficult to extend the natural period of the isolation system than the conventional system because of a buckling problem. Therefore we propose a super-long-period active seismic isolation system as a new method for extending the natural period of the isolated structure. This system consists of rubber bearings and hydraulic actuators. Method of approach: In this study, we designed a control system by using the model matching method. This is one of the classical control system design methods. Additionally we applied a genetic algorithm (GA) to select parameters of a transfer function. Results: The system designed by applying the GA could reduce response acceleration sufficiently compared with the input acceleration. Further waveforms of the response acceleration retain almost straight forwardly, so this indicates good performance of isolation. Therefore, application of super-long-period active isolation is an effective technique to improve the performance of isolation. However, the control forces are big, and the system needs 95.5×106N for the El Centro NS wave as control force. This force is equivalent to 21 actuators that are used in a large shake table, so there are few possibilities to realize active isolation. Conclusion: The required control force of hydraulic actuators is big, although the super-long-period active isolation system possesses good performance of isolation compared with the conventional isolation system. Therefore it is difficult to apply this isolation system to the real structure. However, the problem regarding requirements of the actuator should be solved because of the realization of an active seismic isolation system. Therefore, we will examine for the parameters of the system and semi-active isolation system.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021.58 (0) ◽  
pp. C042
Author(s):  
Naoto KANAYAMA ◽  
Hiroyuki KIMURA ◽  
Masahiro SEKIMOTO ◽  
Tohru SASAKI

2012 ◽  
Vol 446-449 ◽  
pp. 378-381
Author(s):  
Jian Min Jin ◽  
Ping Tan ◽  
Fu Lin Zhou ◽  
Yu Hong Ma ◽  
Chao Yong Shen

Mid-story isolation structure is developing from base isolation structures. As a complex structural system, the work mechanism of base isolation structure is not entirely appropriate for mid-story isolation structure, and the prolonging of structural natural period may not be able to decrease the seismic response of substructure and superstructure simultaneously. In this paper, for a four-story steel frame model, whose prototype first natural period is about 1s without seismic isolation design, the seismic responses and isolation effectiveness of mid-story isolation system with lead rubber bearing are studied experimentally by changing the location of isolation layer. Respectively, the locations of isolation layer are set at bottom of the first story, top of the first story, top of the second story and top of the third story. The results show that mid-story isolation can reduce seismic response in general, and substructure acceleration may be amplified.


Author(s):  
Kengo Goda ◽  
Osamu Furuya ◽  
Kohei Imamura ◽  
Kenta Ishihana

At the present, base isolation system has been recognized by general earthquake resistant technique since the Great Hanshin Earthquake 1995. The seismic isolation will be aggressively applied to not only architectural and civil structures but also various structures, because the effectiveness on seismic safety had been demonstrated again in the Great East Japan Earthquake. In generally, although the base isolation system is divided into laminated rubber bearing type and friction sliding bearing type. In the case of former type, shape factor, maximum or minimum outer shapes and so on are restricted by the material characteristics in visco-elastic material. In general, the isolation structure is used in high damping rubber. However, we pay attention to base isolation using urethane elastomer. Urethane elastomer has excellent elasticity, mechanical strength, abrasion resistance, weather resistance, oil resistance, impact resistance the absorbent, anti-vibration and excellent low-temperature properties. Furthermore, it is possible to impart various characteristics by a combination of isocyanate and polyol and chain extender, requires no large-scale apparatus, it has the advantage molecular design is easy. In previous study, the research and development of laminated type base isolation device using urethane elastomer was carried out to upgrade a seismic safety for various structures. The fundamental characteristics was investigated from several loading test by using various experimental devices, and the design formula for the stiffness and equivalent damping coefficient is formulated as an approximate expression of mechanical characteristics until now. It was confirmed that urethane elastomer is not hardening up to 500% shear strain. Moreover, the experimental examination for aged deterioration in the urethane material has been continuously carried out. As the results, it was confirmed that the laminated type seismic isolation device using urethane elastomer is possible to develop as a practicable device from the stable mechanical properties as considering in design step. In this study, the small-scale laminated type base isolation device using urethane elastomer is advanced to the direction of further technical upgrading and of scale down for light-weight structure as a sever rack. The first stage, basic properties of the urethane elastomer has been investigated by loading test. Furthermore, the design equation is created by loading test using urethane elastomer. The validity of the design equation has been confirmed. The second stage, the compression creep test with laminated type base isolation device has been investigated to confirm an effect on light-weight mechanical devices.


2013 ◽  
Vol 448-453 ◽  
pp. 2045-2048
Author(s):  
Yan Zhong Ju ◽  
Xin Lei Wu

Choosing LW15-550Y porcelain high voltage SF6 circuit breaker as the research subject, we designed the lead laminated rubber bearing (LRB) seismic isolation device for LW15-550Y circuit breaker. We finally gets the results that the LRB isolation system increases the flexibility of the breaker structure and improves the seismic performance of the high voltage circuit breaker structure.


Author(s):  
R. Lo Frano ◽  
G. Forasassi

Nuclear power plant (NPP) design is strictly dependent on the seismic hazards and safety aspects related to the external events of the site. Passive vibration isolators are the most simple and reliable means to protect sensitive equipment from environmental shocks and vibrations. This paper concerns the methodological approach to treat isolation applied to a near term deployment reactor and its internals structures in order to attain a suitable decrease of response spectra at each floor along the height of the structure. The aim of this evaluation is to determine the seismic resistance capability of as-built structures systems and components in the event of the considered Safe Shutdown earthquake (SSE). The use of anti-seismic techniques, such as seismic isolation (SI) and passive energy dissipation, seems able to ensure the full integrity and operability of important structures and systems even in very severe seismic conditions. Therefore the seismic dynamic loadings, propagated up to the main reactor system and components, may be reduced by using the developed base-isolation system (high flexibility for horizontal motions) that might combine suitable dampers with the isolating components to support reactor structures and building. To investigate and analyze the effects of the mentioned earthquake on the considered reactor internals, a deterministic methodological approach, based on the evaluation of the propagation of seismic waves along the structure, was used. To the purpose of this study a numerical assessment of dynamic structural response behaviour of the structures was accomplished by means of the finite element approach and setting up, as accurately as possible, a representative three-dimensional model of mentioned NPP structures. The obtained results in terms of response spectra (carried out from both cases of isolated and not isolated seismic analyses) were compared in order to highlight the isolation technique effectiveness.


Author(s):  
Tsuyoshi Fukasawa ◽  
Satoshi Fujita

This paper describes the research and development of new type of the isolation systems suitable for various structures. Basic concept of the new isolation system is to realize cost effective design without any reduction in the isolation performance. This paper presents results obtained from experimental and analytical studies to evaluate isolation performances of newly developed the isolation system. In the experiment, static tests were first carried out using a 0.20 scale model (55 kg mass, and 0.50 m × 0.50 m × 0.27 m size) for isolated-light-weight-structures model which was supported by two linear ball bearings and, restoring force was provided to superstructure by transversal stiffness of a coiled spring, so as to examine restoring force characteristic of the coiled spring. Second, dynamic tests were implemented in order to investigate the isolation performance of the isolation system against several actual seismic inputs. In analysis, seismic response analyses for the scale model, regarding the vibration tests using the actual seismic wave, were carried out to evaluate the response analytical method for the isolation system using the coiled spring. From these results, the followings are clarified. (1) Analytical results for the isolated light-weight-structures model agree well with experiment results. (2) The newly developed seismic isolation system using the coiled spring reduced response accelerations of the light-weight-structures sufficiently.


Author(s):  
Keigo Nakamura ◽  
Nanako Miura ◽  
Akira Sone

In this research, the focus is on the energy problem in active vibration control of a seismic isolation device using self-powered active control that regenerates electric power from kinetic energy of vibration system and uses it as control power. In recent years, it is proposed to install semi-active control or active control in an isolated structure to deal with seismic waves of various periods. However, since energy is required for control, there is a problem that the desired response reduction performance cannot be achieved when energy supply is interrupted at the time of a power outage. In our previous device, power is always given to the motor to control, thus power consumption is high. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to propose input method of control force that can reduce control power while keeping base isolation performance by classifying the role of the control force for each control phase and considering various combinations of input control force.


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