Title: Experimental analysis of base isolated buildings under low magnitude vibrations

Authors: Paolo Clemente; Giovanni Bongiovanni; Giacomo Buffarini; Fernando Saitta

Addresses: ENEA Casaccia Research Centre, via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy ' ENEA Casaccia Research Centre, via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy ' ENEA Casaccia Research Centre, via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy ' ENEA Casaccia Research Centre, via Anguillarese 301, 00123 Rome, Italy

Abstract: The effects of low magnitude vibrations on the base isolated building are analysed and discussed with reference to two particular structures. The first one is a complex structure, composed by two blocks of three floors, rising up from a common base deck, which is supported by the foundation beams by means of isolation devices. During a moderate intensity earthquake, higher modes were excited, pointing out their very irregular behaviour. In the second case, which regards a building having a hemispherical shape, with three floors plus an underground one, the data recorded under ambient vibrations revealed the significant contribution of the isolation system. In both cases, the experimental behaviour was quite different from the expected one and this should be accounted for when designing base isolation systems.

Keywords: base isolation system design; experimental vibration analysis; operational modal analysis; experimental seismic response; earthquakes; base isolated buildings; low magnitude vibrations.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEIE.2016.080033

International Journal of Earthquake and Impact Engineering, 2016 Vol.1 No.1/2, pp.199 - 223

Received: 15 Jul 2016
Accepted: 22 Jul 2016
Published online: 29 Oct 2016 *

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