• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.215-222
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• 2020

In this paper, slit steel rubber bearing is presented as an innovative seismic isolator device. In this type of isolator, slit steel damper is an energy dissipation device. Its advantages in comparison with that of the lead rubber bearing are its simplicity in manufacturing process and replacement of its yielding parts. Also, slit steel rubber bearing has the same ability to dissipate energy with smaller value of displacement. Using finite element method in ABAQUS software, a parametric study is done on the performance of this bearing. Three different kinds of isolator with three different values of strut width, 9, 12 and 15 mm, three values of thickness, 4, 6 and 8 mm and two steel types with different yield stress are assessed. Effects of these parameters on the performance characteristics of slit steel rubber bearing are studied. It is shown that by decreasing the thickness and strut width and by selecting the material with lower yield stress, values of effective stiffness, energy dissipation capacity and lateral force in the isolator reduce but equivalent viscous damping is not affected significantly. Thus, by choosing appropriate values for thickness, strut width and slit steel damper yield stress, an isolator with the desired behavior can be achieved. Finally, the performance of an 8-storey frame with the proposed isolator is compared with the same frame equipped with LRB. Results show that SSRB is successful in base shear reduction of structure in a different way from LRB.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.662-665
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• 2004

In this paper, based on shaking table test results on a seismically isolated bridge model, an inelastic numerical model is refined by using Bouc-Wen model representing the hysteretic behavior of isolators. Seismic responses of isolated bridges are numerically investigated varying with relative stiffness ratios, which is a ratio of the effective stiffness of isolator to the lateral stiffness of bridge pier. From the results, it is found that an adequate range of relative stiffness ratio could be defined for seismic design of isolated bridges without considering the flexibility of piers.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2012.04a
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• pp.258-260
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• 2012

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering Conference
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• 2014.10a
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• pp.161-161
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• 2014

• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.311-318
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• 2020

This study introduces a technique for improving the elastomeric-isolator performance using modular devices. The modular devices are shear resistance block, polymer spring, displacement acceptance guide, and anti-falling block. They are installed on the elastomeric isolator as a supplementary device. Each modularized device improves the isolator performance by performing step-by-step actions according to the seismic intensity and displacement. The PRB isolation device works in four stages, depending on the seismic magnitude, to satisfy the target performance. It is designed to accommodate design displacement in the first stage and large magnitude of earthquakes in the second and third stages. This design prevents superstructures from falling in the fourth stage due to large-magnitude earthquakes by increasing the capacity limit of the elastomeric isolator. In this study, the PRB isolation device is analyzed using finite element analysis to verify that the PRB isolation device works as intended and it can withstand loads corresponding to large-magnitude earthquakes. The performance of the PRB isolation device is validated by the analysis, which is further corroborated by actual experiments.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.855-864
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• 2013

The dynamic characteristics of natural rubber bearings, which are used as isolator, are dependent on the main rubber's dynamic behaviors and nonlinear properties. Rubber materials tend to undergo an aging process under the influence of mechanical or environmental factors, so they inevitably end up facing damage. A main cause of aging like this is known to be oxidization, which occurs through the heat of reaction at high temperatures. Accordingly, in this study an accelerated thermal aging test was carried out in order to compare the characteristic values of the bearings before and after thermal aging occurs. As a result of this experiment, it was found that a thermal aging phenomenon could have some effects on shear stiffness, energy absorption, and equivalent damping coefficients of the bearings. Furthermore, a deterioration in the dynamic properties of the natural rubber bearings caused by the thermal aging was applied to an actual bridge and then the effects of such thermal aging on the seismic performance of the bridge were also compared and analyzed based on numerical analysis. As a result of this analysis, it was found that the changes in the basic properties of the natural rubber bearings caused by the thermal aging bring only a minor effect on the seismic performance of bridges.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.32 no.2A
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• pp.109-116
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• 2012

The dynamic properties of lead rubber bearings, which are used as isolator, are dependent on the main rubber's dynamic behaviors and nonlinear qualities. Rubber materials tend to undergo an aging process under the influence of mechanical or environmental factors, so they can end up inevitably facing damage. A main cause of such aging is known to be oxidization, which occurs through the heat of reaction at high temperatures. Accordingly, in this study an accelerated thermal aging test was carried out in order to compare the characteristic values of the bearings with each other before and after thermal aging occurs. As a result of this experiment, it was found that a thermal aging phenomenon could have an effect on shear stiffness, energy absorption, and equivalent damping coefficients. Furthermore, a decline in the dynamic properties of the lead rubber bearings by means of the thermal aging process was applied to an actual bridge and the effects of such thermal aging on the seismic performance of the bridge were also compared and analyzed based on numerical analysis. As a result of this analysis, it was found that the changes in the basic properties of the lead rubber bearings have a minor effect on the seismic performance of bridges.

• Advances in Computational Design
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.43-56
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• 2017

The aim of this paper is to develop software for designing of steel reinforced elastomeric isolator (SREI) according to American Association for State Highway and Transportation Officials Load and Resistance Factor Design (AASHTO LRFD) Specifications. SREI is used for almost all bridge types and special structures. SREI-structures interface defines support boundary conditions and may affect the seismic performance of bridges. Seismic performance of the bridge is also affected by geometrical and materials properties of SREI. The selection of SREI is complicated process includes satisfying all the design constraints arising from code provisions and maximizing performance at the lowest possible cost. In this paper, design stage of SREI is described up to AASHTO LRFD 2012. Up to AASHTO LRFD 2012 analysis and design program of SREI performed different geometrical and material properties are created with C# object-oriented language. SREI-CAD, name of the created software, allows an accurate design for economical estimation of a SREI in a short time. To determine types of SREI effects, two different types of bearings, rectangular and circular with similar materials and dimension properties are selected as an application. Designs of these SREIs are completed with SREI-CAD. It is seen that ensuring the stability of circular elastomer bearing at the service limit state is generally complicated than rectangular bearing.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.395-410
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• 2014

Fiber Reinforced Elastomeric Bearings (FREBs) are a relatively new type of laminated bearings that can be used as seismic/vibration isolators or bridge bearings. In an unbonded (U)-FREB, the bearing is placed between the top and bottom supports with no bonding or fastening provided at its contact surfaces. Under shear loads the top and bottom faces of a U-FREB roll off the contact supports and the bearing exhibits rollover deformation. As a result of rollover deformation, the horizontal response characteristics of U-FREBs are significantly different than conventional elastomeric bearings that are employed in bonded application. Current literature lacks an efficient analytical horizontal stiffness solution for this type of bearings. This paper presents two simplified analytical models for horizontal stiffness evaluation of U-FREBs. Both models assume that the resistance to shear loads is only provided by an effective region of the bearing that sustains significant shear strains. The presented models are different in the way they relate this effective region to the horizontal bearing displacements. In comparison with experimental results and finite element analyses, the analytical models that are presented in this paper are found to be sufficiently accurate to be used in the preliminary design of U-FREBs.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.15 no.12 s.105
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• pp.1340-1346
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• 2005

In this study, based on shaking table test results on a seismically isolated bridge model, an inelastic numerical model is refined by using Bouc-Wen model representing the hysteretic behavior of isolators. Seismic responses of isolated bridges are numerically investigated varying with relative stiffness ratio(RSR), which is a ratio of the effective stiffness of isolator to the lateral stiffness of bridge pier, From the results, it is found that an adequate range of relative stiffness ratio could be defined for seismic design of isolated bridges without considering the flexibility of piers.