Dynamic Nonlinear Analysis of an Hybrid Base Isolation System with Viscous Dampers and Friction Sliders in Parallel

Abstract

In the present work we have analyzed a particular base isolation system for the seismic protection of a multi-storey reinforced concrete (RC) building. The viscous dampers and friction sliders are the devices adopted in parallel for realizing the base isolation system. The base isolation structure has been designed and verified according to European seismic code EC8 and by considering for the friction sliders the influence of the sliding velocity on the value of the friction coefficient. A dynamic nonlinear analysis for a three-dimensional base isolated structure has been performed. Recorded accelerograms for bi-directional ground motions have been used which comply with the requirements imposed by EC8 for the representation of a seismic action in a time history analysis. In this paper a comparative analysis is presented between the base isolated structure with the described hybrid base isolation system and the traditional fixed base structure.