Effects of High Damping Rubber Bearing on Horizontal and Vertical Seismic Responses of a Pressurized Water Reactor

The seismic responses of a base isolated Pressurized Water Reactor (PWR) are investigated using a mathematical model which expresses the superstructure as lumped mass-spring model and the seismic isolator as an equivalent spring-damper. Time history analyses are performed for the 1940 E1 Centre earthquakes in both horizontal and vertical directions. In the analysis, structural damping of 5% is used for the superstructure. The isolator damping ratios of 12% for horizontal and 5% for vertical directions are used. The acceleration responses in base isolated PWR superstructure with high damping rubber bearings are much smaller than those in fixed base structure in horizontal direction. However, the vertical acceleration responses at the superstructure in the base isolation system are amplified to some extent. It is suggested that the vertical seismic responses at the superstructure should be reduced by introducing a soft vertical isolation device.