• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.195-211
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• 2020

Among anti-seismic technologies, base isolation is a very effective means of mitigating damage to structural and nonstructural components, such as equipment. However, most seismic isolation systems are designed for mitigating only horizontal seismic responses because the realization of a vertical isolation system (VIS) is difficult. The difficulty is primarily due to conflicting isolation stiffness demands in the static and dynamic states for a VIS, which requires sufficient rigidity to support the self-weight of the isolated object in the static state, but sufficient flexibility to lengthen the isolation period and uncouple the ground motion in the dynamic state. To overcome this problem, a semi-active VIS, called the piezoelectric inertia-type vertical isolation system (PIVIS), is proposed in this study. PIVIS is composed of a piezoelectric friction damper (PFD) and a leverage mechanism with a counterweight. The counterweight provides an uplifting force in the static state and an extra inertial force in the dynamic state; therefore, the effective vertical stiffness of PIVIS is higher in the static state and lower in the dynamic state. The PFD provides a controllable friction force for PIVIS to further prevent its excessive displacement. For experimental verification, a shaking table test was conducted on a prototype PIVIS controlled by a simple controller. The experimental results well agree with the theoretical results. To further investigate the isolation performance of PIVIS, the seismic responses of PIVIS were simulated numerically by considering 14 vertical ground motions with different characteristics. The responses of PIVIS were compared with those of a traditional VIS and a passive system (PIVIS without control). The numerical results demonstrate that compared with the traditional and passive systems, PIVIS can effectively suppress isolation displacement in all kinds of earthquake with various peak ground accelerations and frequency content while maintaining its isolation efficiency. The proposed system is particularly effective for near-fault earthquakes with long-period components, for which it prevents resonant-like motion.

• Proceedings of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.527-534
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• 2003

This paper presents the LRB-based hybrid base isolation systems employing additional active/semiactive control devices for seismic protection of cable-stayed bridges by examining the ASCE first generation benchmark problem for a cable-stayed bridge. In this study, ideal hydraulic actuators (HAs) and ideal magnetorheological dampers (MRDs) are considered as additional active and semiactive control devices, respectively. Numerical simulation results show that all the hybrid base isolation systems are effective in reducing the structural responses of the benchmark cable-stayed bridge under the historical earthquakes considered. The simulation results also demonstrate that the hybrid base isolation system employing semiactive MRBs is robust to the stiffness uncertainty of the structure, while the hybrid system with active HAs is not. Therefore, the LRB-based hybrid base isolation system employing MRDs could be more appropriate in real applications for full-scale civil infrastructures.

• International Journal of Control, Automation, and Systems
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.155-160
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• 2007

A fault detection and isolation (FDI) problem is considered for inertial sensors, such as gyroscopes and accelerometers and a new FDI method for double faults is proposed using reduced-order parity vector. The reduced-order parity vector (RPV) algorithm enables us to isolate double faults with 7 sensors. Averaged parity vector is used to reduce false alarm and wrong isolation, and to improve correct isolation. The RPV algorithm is analyzed by Monte-Carlo simulation and the performance is given through fault detection probability, correct isolation probability, and wrong isolation probability.

• Proceedings of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.403-410
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• 2003

This paper presents the results of experimental studies on the equipment isolation effect in the nuclear containment. For this purpose, shaking table tests were performed. The isolation system, known as Friction Pendulum System (FPS), combines the concepts of sliding bearings and pendulum motion was selected. Peak ground acceleration, bidirectional motion, effect of vertical motion and frequency contents of selected earthquake motions were considered. Finally, it is presented that the FPS systems are effective for the small equipment isolation. Key word equipment isolation, nuclear containment, shaking table test, Friction Pendulum System (FPS)

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.48 no.5
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• pp.1237-1251
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• 2016

Although the horizontal component of an earthquake response can be significantly reduced through the use of conventional seismic isolators, the vertical component of excitation is still transmitted directly into the structure. Records from instrumented structures, and some recent tests and analyses have actually seen increases in vertical responses in base isolated structures under the combined effects of horizontal and vertical ground motions. This issue becomes a great concern to facilities such as a Nuclear Power Plants (NPP), with specialized equipment and machinery that is not only expensive, but critical to safe operation. As such, there is considerable interest worldwide in vertical and three-dimensional (3D) isolation systems. This paper examines several vertical and 3D isolation systems that have been proposed and their potential application to modern nuclear facilities. In particular, a series of case study analyses of a modern NPP model are performed to examine the benefits and challenges associated with 3D isolation compared with horizontal isolation. It was found that compared with the general horizontal isolators, isolators that have vertical frequencies of no more than 3 Hz can effectively reduce the vertical in-structure responses for the studied NPP model. Among the studied cases, the case that has a vertical isolation frequency of 3 Hz is the one that can keep the horizontal period of the isolators as the first period while having the most flexible vertical isolator properties. When the vertical frequency of isolators reduces to 1 Hz, the rocking effect is obvious and rocking restraining devices are necessary.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.293-315
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• 2016

Seismic isolation is often used in protecting mission-critical structures including hospitals, data centers, telecommunication buildings, etc. Such structures typically house vibration-sensitive equipment which has to provide continued service but may fail in case sustained accelerations during earthquakes exceed threshold limit values. Thus, peak floor acceleration is one of the two main parameters that control the design of such structures while the other one is peak base displacement since the overall safety of the structure depends on the safety of the isolation system. And in case peak base displacement exceeds the design base displacement during an earthquake, rupture and/or buckling of isolators as well as bumping against stops around the seismic gap may occur. Therefore, obtaining accurate peak floor accelerations and peak base displacement is vital. However, although nominal design values for isolation system and superstructure parameters are calculated in order to meet target peak design base displacement and peak floor accelerations, their actual values may potentially deviate from these nominal design values. In this study, the sensitivity of the seismic performance of structures equipped with linear and nonlinear seismic isolation systems to the aforementioned potential deviations is assessed in the context of a benchmark shear building under different earthquake records with near-fault and far-fault characteristics. The results put forth the degree of sensitivity of peak top floor acceleration and peak base displacement to superstructure parameters including mass, stiffness, and damping and isolation system parameters including stiffness, damping, yield strength, yield displacement, and post-yield to pre-yield stiffness ratio.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2009.10a
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• pp.472-472
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• 2009

The safety of cultural properties, medical treatment and electrical communication equipments in a building was hardly considered against the earthquake induced vibration, while the integrity of the building structure has been taken into account through the resistant earthquake design. This paper presents design of a seismic isolation table for both indoor and outdoor electrical communication equipment. First of all, artificial earthquake waves compatible with floor and ground response spectra for electrical communication equipments are generated using previously recorded seismic waves. Two kinds of one-degree-of-freedom seismic isolation table systems: spring-linear damper and spring-friction damper systems are considered and their responses to artificial earthquake waves are simulated. Design parameter study for two seismic isolation tables are performed through simulations and a seismic isolation table for both indoor and outdoor electrical communication equipment is designed considering the simulation results.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.950-953
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• 2005

Floor impact sounds from two different floor systems were measured. One of the two floor systems is a dry floor system (with 150mm concrete slab) and the other is a standard floor system (210mm concrete slab). Real impact sources such as jumping and running of children were used as well as standard impact sources (bang machine, impact ball and tapping machine) to evaluate sound Isolation of the two floor systems. Subjective evaluations of the floor impact sound isolation performance for the two systems were also conducted by the methods of 3 scales & 9 categories, paired comparison and semantic differentials. Measurement results indicate that floor impact sound isolation performance of the dry floor was better than that of standard floor in both cases of real and standard impact sources. The subjects in auditory experiments also evaluated the dry floor as a better sound isolation system.

• Journal of the Earthquake Engineering Society of Korea
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.125-135
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• 2017

Various seismic isolation methods are being applied to bridges and buildings to improve their seismic performance. Most seismic isolation systems are the structural seismic isolation systems. In this study, the seismic performance of geotechnical seismic isolation system capable of isolating the lower foundation of the bridge structure from ground was evaluated. The geotechnical seismic isolation system was built with teflon, and the model structure was made by adopting the similitude law. The response acceleration for sinusoidal waves of various amplitudes and frequencies and seismic waves were analyzed by performing 1-G shaking table experiments. Fixed foundation, Sliding foundation, and Rocking foundation were evaluated. The results of this study indicated that the Teflon-type seismic foundation isolation system is effective in reducing the acceleration transmitted to the superstructure subject to large input ground motion. Response spectrum of the Rocking and Sliding foundation structures moves to the long period, while that of Fixed foundation moves to short period.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.543-557
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• 2020

This paper presents a series of experimental and numerical investigations on a vertical isolation system with quasi-zero stiffness (QZS) property. The isolation system comprises a linear helical spring and disk spring. The disk spring is designed to provide variable stiffness to the system. Orthogonal static tests with different design parameters are conducted to verify the mathematical and mechanical models of the isolation system. The deviations between theoretical and test results influenced by the design parameters are summarized. Then, the dynamic tests for the systems with different under-load degrees are performed, including the fast sweeping tests, harmonic excitation tests, and half-sine impact tests. The displacement transmissibility, vibration reduction rate, and free vibration response are calculated. Based on the test results, the variation of the transmission rule is evaluated and the damping magnitudes and types are identified. In addition, the relevant numerical time history responses are calculated considering the nonlinear behavior of the system. The results indicate that the QZS isolation system has a satisfactory isolation effect, while a higher damping level can potentially promote the isolation performance in the low-frequency range. It is also proved that the numerical calculation method accurately predicts the transmission character of the isolation system.