Methods for Evaluating the Characteristics of the Stress-Strain State of Seismic Blocks Under Operating Conditions

Abstract

The concept of the vibration and seismic isolation of heavy mining machines, buildings, and structures with rubber seismic blocks is considered. The concept of the seismic isolation of structures is very topical. In Japan, New Zealand, France, Greece, England, USA, and in a number of other countries, it is successfully used for the earthquake protection of such important structures as nuclear power stations, schools, bridges, museums, office and residential buildings. Seismic isolation systems including rubber blocks are most commonly used. The known publications in these countries do not present analytical calculations and technological peculiarities of manufacturing elements. In Ukraine, this concept was extended by developing seismic isolation blocks for the earthquake protection of residential buildings and vibration isolation blocks for the vibration protection of heavy equipment (weight of up to 300 t, used in Russia, Ukraine) and residential buildings. Results of static and dynamic tests of a parametric series of rubber seismic blocks for the vibration protection of residential buildings are presented. A pile design with anti-vibration rubber mounts is considered. Developed and tested rubber seismic block designs were used to protect against subway and motor vehicle induced vibrations two dwelling houses in Kiev (a ten-section ten-storey and a three-section 27-storey dwelling house) and three houses in Lvov. Vibration and seismic isolation with rubber seismic blocks provides a natural vibration frequency of building in the horizontal plane of under 1 Hz, which complies with the requirements of the state building codes and Eurocode 8 for the design of seismic isolation systems for buildings.