scholarly journals Rocking Response of Seismically-Isolated Rigid Blocks Under Simple Acceleration Pulses and Earthquake Excitations

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 217-236
Author(s):  
Panayiotis C. Roussis ◽  
Spyroulla Odysseos

Background: Although the dynamic response of rigid block-like structures standing free on a rigid foundation has been extensively studied to date, only a limited number of studies have focused on the dynamics of such systems when seismically isolated. Objective: This paper presents a comprehensive investigation on the dynamic response of base-isolated rigid blocks subjected to pulse-type base excitation, with the aim of identifying potential trends in the response and stability of the system. Method: The model adopted in this study consists of a rectangular-prismatic rigid block standing free on a seismically-isolated base, which, on the assumption of sufficiently-large friction, can be set into rocking on top of the moving base under dynamic excitation. The study examines in depth the motion of the block/base system with a large-displacement formulation that combines the nonlinear equations of motion with a rigorous model governing impact. Two isolation-system models are utilized in the analysis, a linear viscoelastic model and a bilinear hysteretic model. Results: An extensive numerical investigation was performed to calculate the rocking response of the block under simple acceleration pulses and recorded pulse-type earthquake motions of various amplitudes and frequency content. Response-regime spectra for non-isolated and isolated blocks of varying geometric characteristics have been constructed to evaluate the system performance with respect to the rocking initiation and overturning of the block. Conclusion: The study showed that, regardless of block size and excitation period, seismic isolation increases the acceleration required to initiate rocking, a benefit that increases as the isolation period increases. In regard to the stability of the rocking block, the use of isolation yields a better system performance for smaller-sized blocks both for short- and mid-period excitations, provided that the isolation system is suitably designed. On the contrary, for long-period pulses, the use of isolation is practically not beneficial in improving the stability of the rocking block, irrespective of its size.

Author(s):  
Elias G. Dimitrakopoulos ◽  
Matthew J. DeJong

In this paper, the dynamic response of the rocking block subjected to base excitation is revisited. The goal is to offer new closed-form solutions and original similarity laws that shed light on the fundamental aspects of the rocking block. The focus is on the transient dynamics of the rocking block under finite-duration excitations. An alternative way to describe the response of the rocking block, informative of the behaviour of rocking structures under excitations of different intensity, is offered. In the process, limitations of standard dimensional analysis, related to the orientations of the involved physical quantities, are revealed. The proposed dimensionless and orientationless groups condense the response and offer a lucid depiction of the rocking phenomenon. When expressed in the appropriate dimensionless–orientationless groups, the rocking response becomes perfectly self-similar for slender blocks (within the small rotations range) and practically self-similar for non-slender blocks (larger rotations). Using this formulation, the nonlinear and non-smooth rocking response to pulse-type ground motion can be directly determined, and need only be scaled by the intensity and frequency of the excitation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 549-556
Author(s):  
Yajun Luo ◽  
Linwei Ji ◽  
Yahong Zhang ◽  
Minglong Xu ◽  
Xinong Zhang

The present work proposed an hourglass-type electromagnetic isolator with negative resistance (NR) shunt circuit to achieve the effective suppression of the micro-amplitude vibration response in various advanced instruments and equipment. By innovatively design of combining the displacement amplifier and the NR electromagnetic shunt circuit, the current new type of vibration isolator not only can effectively solve the problem of micro-amplitude vibration control, but also has significant electromechanical coupling effect, to obtain excellent vibration isolation performance. The design of the isolator and motion relationship is presented firstly. The electromechanical coupling dynamic model of the isolator is also given. Moreover, the optimal design of the NR electromagnetic shunt circuit and the stability analysis of the vibration isolation system are carried out. Finally, the simulation results about the transfer function and vibration responses demonstrated that the isolator has a significant isolation performance.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xigui Zheng ◽  
Jinbo Hua ◽  
Nong Zhang ◽  
Xiaowei Feng ◽  
Lei Zhang

A limitation in research on bolt anchoring is the unknown relationship between dynamic perturbation and mechanical characteristics. This paper divides dynamic impulse loads into engineering loads and blasting loads and then employs numerical calculation software FLAC3Dto analyze the stability of an anchoring system perturbed by an impulse load. The evolution of the dynamic response of the axial force/shear stress in the anchoring system is thus obtained. It is revealed that the corners and middle of the anchoring system are strongly affected by the dynamic load, and the dynamic response of shear stress is distinctly stronger than that of the axial force in the anchoring system. Additionally, the perturbation of the impulse load reduces stress in the anchored rock mass and induces repeated tension and loosening of the rods in the anchoring system, thus reducing the stability of the anchoring system. The oscillation amplitude of the axial force in the anchored segment is mitigated far more than that in the free segment, demonstrating that extended/full-length anchoring is extremely stable and surpasses simple anchors with free ends.


2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 150-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Minafò ◽  
Giuseppina Amato ◽  
Lorenzo Stella

Ancient columns, made with a variety of materials such as marble, granite, stone or masonry are an important part of the European cultural heritage. In particular columns of ancient temples in Greece and Sicily which support only the architrave are characterized by small axial load values. This feature together with the slenderness typical of these structural members clearly highlights as the evaluation of the rocking behaviour is a key aspect of their safety assessment and maintenance. It has to be noted that the rocking response of rectangular cross-sectional columns modelled as monolithic rigid elements, has been widely investigated since the first theoretical study carried out by Housner (1963). However, the assumption of monolithic member, although being widely used and accepted for practical engineering applications, is not valid for more complex systems such as multi-block columns made of stacked stone blocks, with or without mortar beds. In these cases, in fact, a correct analysis of the system should consider rocking and sliding phenomena between the individual blocks of the structure. Due to the high non-linearity of the problem, the evaluation of the dynamic behaviour of multi-block columns has been mostly studied in the literature using a numerical approach such as the Discrete Element Method (DEM). This paper presents an introductory study about a proposed analytical-numerical approach for analysing the rocking behaviour of multi-block columns subjected to a sine-pulse type ground motion. Based on the approach proposed by Spanoset al.(2001) for a system made of two rigid blocks, the Eulero-Lagrange method to obtain the motion equations of the system is discussed and numerical applications are performed with case studies reported in the literature and with a real acceleration record. The rocking response of single block and multi-block columns is compared and considerations are made about the overturning conditions and on the effect of forcing function’s frequency.


2021 ◽  
Vol 64 (3) ◽  
pp. 185-193
Author(s):  
Jelena Ristić ◽  
Miloš Vučinić ◽  
Danilo Ristić ◽  
Milutin Vučinić

Extensive analytical and experimental research has been done by the authors directed to mitigation of the effects of earthquakes on structures. The research results mainly represent parts of the realized several related international projects. A selected part of the analytical studies directed to comparison between conventional and seismically isolated frame structures is presented in this paper. The responses of the applied newely developed advanced seismic isolation system HC-RMS-GOSEB to the simulated input excitation of three representative earthquakes of intensity 0.50g, have shown that it is very effective for construction of vibro-isolated and seismically resistant buildings, providing activated multistage seismic response and globally optimized seismic energy balance. Its application achieves an increase in the vibration period of the structure, far enough from the dominant period of seismic excitation. The results of the research confirm that this system is a potential solution for achieving low-cost and highly efficient protection of buildings.


2019 ◽  
Vol 262 ◽  
pp. 01001
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Korzec ◽  
Waldemar Świdziński

The paper deals with the stability analysis of tailings dam subjected to dynamic loading induced by mining shocks which occurred in neighbouring copper mine. The main goal of the paper was to model the dynamic response of the dam during two extreme paraseismic events which occurred in 2016 based on accelerograms recorded at the dam toe. Dynamic response of the tailings dam was calculated using finite element method and the implicit time-integration method implemented in commercial codes. The boundary condition corresponding to dynamic loading was determined by deconvolution procedure. The error analysis showed that most precise signal reproduction is achieved while using target signal with peak value reduced by 40% as a test signal. Both acceleration and displacement time-series were successfully reproduced. Moreover, the stability analysis was conducted for five independent signals with design peak horizontal acceleration and showed that no permanent displacements should occur. The temporary horizontal displacement of the dam crest should not exceed 13 mm, assuming equivalent linear material model.


2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 1886-1911 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anastasios Tsiavos ◽  
Anastasios Sextos ◽  
Andreas Stavridis ◽  
Matt Dietz ◽  
Luiza Dihoru ◽  
...  

This study presents a large-scale experimental investigation on the seismic performance of an innovative, low-cost seismic isolation system for developing countries. It is based on the beneficial effect of the encapsulation of sand grains between two PVC surfaces on the initiation of sliding and the dissipation of seismic energy between the surfaces. A three-times scaled-down, idealized, seismically isolated model of a prototype single-story structure located in Nepal is subjected to an ensemble of recorded earthquake ground motion excitations. The experimentally derived response of the seismically isolated structure is compared with the response of the corresponding fixed-base structure. This system is part of a wider hybrid design approach where the structure is designed to resist the seismic forces at the design acceleration level. The seismic isolation system sets an upper bound to the response of the structure for ground motion excitations exceeding the design level.


2014 ◽  
Vol 521 ◽  
pp. 431-434
Author(s):  
Yuan Sheng Xiong ◽  
Jian Ming Xu

To improve the stability of DC bus voltage in DC microgrid, and reduce the impact on microgrid equipments by the DC bus voltage fluctuations, a supercapacitor energy storage (SCES) is designed to connect to the DC bus by the bi-directional converter. The controller is designed by the feedforward control and proportional method with the deadband. The great load disturbance is simulated in PSIM software when the DC microgrid operates in the grid-connected rectification mode. The simulation results show that SCES under the proposed control strategy can reduce the fluctuation range of the DC bus voltage in a wide range of load disturbances, and the dynamic response performance of DC bus voltage is improved.


Author(s):  
Wenqiang Zhang ◽  
Mehdi Vahdati ◽  
Fanzhou Zhao

Abstract Abrupt distortions can appear as a result of transient crosswind or during rapid aircraft maneuvers. Such distortions are known to reduce the aerodynamic stability of engines and therefore present a major concern to all aero-engine manufacturers. To assess the aerodynamic stability of fan blades due to distortions, rig tests are usually carried out to establish the loss in stall margin. In such test campaigns, an exit duct (which is followed by a nozzle) is placed downstream of the fan blade and the operating condition of the fan is controlled by this nozzle. It is shown in this paper that in such rig tests the length of duct downstream of a fan has a significant impact on fan stall margin. The key contributor for such interaction is the dynamic response of the exit duct and the aerodynamic stability of the fan is affected by the acoustic reflection from the exit nozzle. To study the underlying physics, transient response in the exit duct downstream of a transonic fan stage was studied numerically using a simplified model. Simulation results, along with calculations based on analytical theories, confirmed the generation, propagation and reflection of waves induced by the inlet distortion. A quantitative relationship concerning the lengths of the compression system is introduced which determines whether a duct setup would have beneficial or detrimental influences on compressor aerodynamic stability. The findings of this research have great implications for the stability assessment of fans as the stability margin can be affected by the waves generated in bypass ducts.


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