Seismic response of a nuclear island building with base isolation considering the soil–structure interaction effect

Abstract

AbstractThis study aims to investigate the influence of soil–structure interaction (SSI) on the seismic response of a nuclear island (NI) building with base isolation. Hence, modal and dynamic time‐history analyses of the NI building with base isolation based on different soil dynamic numerical models that are applicable for homogeneous and layered sites to consider the SSI effect were conducted. After a comparison analysis of natural frequencies, floor response spectra (FRS), and acceleration response of superstructure, the following results are obtained. (i) For homogeneous sites, the degrees of freedom of the horizontal translation and torsion of the NI building with base isolation calculated using different site dynamic numerical models have equivalent natural frequencies. For layered sites, the natural frequencies increase slightly with the improvement of the shear wave velocity of the upper layered soil. (ii) For homogeneous sites, FRS calculated by the massless foundation model is generally larger than those of the dynamic model proposed by the ASCE code and the viscoelastic artificial boundary site model. Both the spectral and peak values of horizontal FRS at a low frequency band calculated by considering the SSI effect are larger than those without the SSI effect. (iii) For layered sites, both the spectral and peak values of horizontal FRS at a low frequency band have an amplification effect compared with that of a homogeneous site. (iv) For layered sites, the calculated horizontal acceleration response does not have evident law that changes with the degree of hardness and softness of the upper soil. Therefore, the SSI effect for particular homogeneous and layered sites should be considered when calculating the seismic response of the NI building with base isolation.