DURABILITY OF SLIDING ISOLATION DEVICE EMPLOYED IN SUPER HIGH RISE BUILDINGS SUBJECTED TO WIND EXCITATIONS

Abstract

The number of seismically isolated buildings has been increasing after Hanshin-Awaji earthquake in Japan. One of the structural designs of recent seismic isolation is specialized by isolation of super high rise buildings. Many of these buildings employ sliding isolation bearings to further elongate its natural period of isolation layer compared to that of superstructure. Seismic isolation enhances the safety of building during earthquake. But the fatigue caused by deformation during strong wind must be checked, since building in Japan suffers from strong typhoons during its lifetime, especially if they are high rise buildings. The authors have conducted fatigue tests of sliding bearings especially for its rubber pad. Also, the authors have evaluated the wind levels and the duration for each wind level which the building experiences during its lifetime. By conducting wind response analyses, considering the fatigue test results and the wind excitations which the building experience during its lifetime, the evaluation method of fatigue is proposed and expected fatigue level using proposed method is presented.